Shows
The Wafflers254 - The Golden Wafflers Award'sđď¸ Presenting the grand spectacle of the year, it's time for the prestigious Golden Wafflers Awards! Join me in celebrating the epitome of podcasting excellence as we delve into the standout moments of 2024. From the crème de la crème guest to the most uproarious laugh, we've meticulously curated categories that capture the essence of our vibrant podcast.
đ Behold the nominees for The Best Song, Best Introduction and The Best Episode.
Thousands of your votes have been tallied, making this not just an awards ceremony but a celebration of our incredible listener community.
đ As we reflect on the past year, we extend our...2025-01-131h 29
The Wafflers201 - The Golden Wafflers Awardsđď¸ Presenting the grand spectacle of the year, it's time for the prestigious Golden Wafflers Awards! Join me in celebrating the epitome of podcasting excellence as we delve into the standout moments of 2023. From the crème de la crème guest to the most uproarious laugh, we've meticulously curated categories that capture the essence of our vibrant podcast.
đ Behold the nominees for The Best Guest, The Best Moment, The Best Hosepipe Story, The Best original Episode, The Most Important Stories, The Best Episode, and the coveted MVP Of The Year!Â
Thousands of your votes have been tallied, making this not just an awa...2024-01-083h 16
The Wednesday WafflersThe Wednesday Wafflers S2E4 Attacked By ExerciseEpisode 4 is here. The Wafflers have plenty to talk about ahead of the Jubilee. A guest question for Mike and more stupid comments from the wafflers. Join us for some pure waffle and if you have any questions, would you rather's or a story to share please get in touch via our social media pages.2022-06-0141 min
The Great British Mickey WaffleBecca & Ben Live from Disneyland Paris - Wafflers' Wednesday - April 2022For an extra special show this month - Becca & Ben were live from Disneyland Paris for our weekly live show Wafflers' Wednesday.Â
John, Claire, Peter & Gill were at the helm as Becca & Ben took us on a tour of Disneyland Paris during the 30th anniversary celebrations. You can find the video version over on our YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/thegreatbritishmickeywaffle
To continue our celebrations we will be taking a more in-depth look at Disneyland Paris on our weekly live show both on Facebook and YouTube every Wednesday at 8.30pm GMT during April.
2022-04-151h 04The Wednesday WafflersThe Wednesday Wafflers S1E8 The Fat DuckMike, Will and Sam are back talking absolute waffle. Listen in for some good Mikes Questions, funny would you rather's and hear the disappointing Rotterdam trip. See if Sam has done his homework or will he have to do a forfeit. As always please follow us on Instagram The_Wednesday_wafflers Facebook The Wednesday Wafflers and email us in at thewednesdaywafflers@hotmail.com2022-03-3059 minThe Wednesday WafflersThe Wednesday Wafflers S1E7 Good Job I Don't Like PortThe Wednesday Wafflers are back this week after Cheltenham exploits! How did the boys get on? Will Mike know what a souffle is? Has Sam watched The Da Vinci Code? Did will make the final jump in the 2:50? Find out in this weeks episode of the Wednesday Wafflers2022-03-2357 minThe Wednesday WafflersThe Wednesday Wafflers S1E5 That Bundy GuyWill, Mike and Sam back again for Episode 5. On this weeks show, more questions for Mike and would you rathers, also you will learn the story of Sam's eating challenge and another prize giveaway and much more. Please follow us on Instagram - The_Wednesday_Wafflers Facebook - The Wednesday Wafflers or email in your stories, questions or would you rathers to Thewednesdaywafflers@hotmail.com2022-03-0959 minThe Wednesday WafflersThe Wednesday Wafflers S1E4 The Boat In TitanicWill, Sam and Mike Get together Again to talk Absolute Waffle. Joined this week by Adeel our first ever guest on the show. Enjoy a good laugh as we hear more idiot comments from Mike and Adeel and this weeks would you rather will definitely get you thinking. We have our first ever winner of a I am a Waffleite T shirt and the answer to which out the three of us is on Youtube which the link will be shared on Thursday.
If you have any questions for any of us or would you rather's or...2022-03-0252 minThe Wednesday WafflersThe Wednesday Wafflers S1E3 Inside Of A Scotch EggWho is Gary Baldie, Who is Makaton and what happens to the 6 million chickens? All these questions will be answered in this weeks Wednesday Wafflers. Mike, Sam and Will get together every Wednesday to chat waffle, answer questions and discuss would you rather.
Please follow us on our social media platforms, free giveaway this week to win the first ever i am a waffleite t-shirt!
Instagram - The_Wednesday_Wafflers
Facebook - The Wednesday Wafflers
Email - TheWednesdayWafflers@hotmail.com2022-02-2354 min
The WafflersEpisode 11: Women Are Sexist Too: How To Get Away With MisogynyInternalized sexism and misogyny run rampant in our culture: from the notions which drive celebrity culture and gossip to the issues of women in STEM. Many women degrade themselves and other women in the process, pander to the validation of men and so much more. The question we ask is: it a byproduct of the patriarchy or just an excuse for our behavior? Is sexism all in our heads? Find out all this and more in this week's episode of the Wafflers. 2021-08-3142 min
Daily Thunder Podcast602: The Mechanics of Callousness // In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers - Part 5 of 5 (Eric Ludy & Nathan Johnson)This is the final installment in a five part series entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers. In this series Eric Ludy, Nathan Johnson and guests unpack the thoughts and ideas of Ericâs full-length message entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers (which he delivered on Sunday, April 11, 2021 - see Ericâs sermon podcast). This particular episode talks about âcallousesâ from two differing angles â the bad kind of callousness, and the good kind. Itâs critical that we shun the bad kind from building within our souls and that we see the right kind of callousness constructed wi...2021-04-1619 minDaily Thunder Podcast601: The Mechanics of Certainty // In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers - Part 4 of 5 (Eric Ludy & Nathan Johnson)This is the fourth installment in a five part series entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers. In this series Eric Ludy, Nathan Johnson and guests unpack the thoughts and ideas of Ericâs full-length message entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers (which he delivered on Sunday, April 11, 2021 - see Ericâs sermon podcast). This particular episode discusses the concept of âfull assuranceâ. A believer in Christ is intended to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are indeed eternally saved through the Cross-work of Christ. There shouldât be a lingering question, a doubt, or a...2021-04-1516 minDaily Thunder Podcast600: The Mechanics of Confession // In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers - Part 3 of 5 (Nathan Johnson & Philip H)This is the third installment in a five part series entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers. In this series Eric Ludy, Nathan Johnson and guests unpack the thoughts and ideas of Ericâs full-length message entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers (which he delivered on Sunday, April 11, 2021 - see Ericâs sermon podcast). This particular episode breaks down the unique concept of âconfessionâ and how it is intended to work in our lives as believers. There are two distinct kinds of confessions. 1) confession of sin, and 2) confession of faith. When both of these are functional and activ...2021-04-1416 minDaily Thunder Podcast599: The Mechanics of Courage // In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers - Part 2 of 5 (Eric Ludy & Dan McConnaughey)This is the second installment in a five part series entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers. In this series Eric Ludy, Nathan Johnson and guests unpack the thoughts and ideas of Ericâs full-length message entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers (which he delivered on Sunday, April 11, 2021 - see Ericâs sermon podcast). This particular episode dives into the make-up of spiritual courage. Men can be bold as lions in many theaters of life that pose great risk to life and limb â so, why is it that these same men donât always have the same bold...2021-04-1316 minDaily Thunder Podcast598: The Mechanics of Cowardice // In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers - Part 1 of 5 (Eric Ludy & Nathan Johnson)This is the first installment in a five part series entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers. In this series Eric Ludy, Nathan Johnson and guests unpack the thoughts and ideas of Ericâs full-length message entitled In an Age of Shrinking Wafflers (which he delivered on Sunday, April 11, 2021 - see Ericâs sermon podcast). This particular episode explores the propensity towards spiritual timidity (that we as humans all mutually share) and how we must swap it out for the boldness of the Kingdom of Heaven.  2021-04-1216 min
The WafflersEpisode 5: The Game is On: College Admissions in Unprecedented TimesWelcome Wesley to The Wafflers Podcast! With our first guest, we discuss our experiences being International Baccalaureate (IB) students, and shine a light on the immensely competitive and demanding journey today's youth go through to apply to university. We deconstruct the notion of 'playing the race card', 'doing it for the CV' and detail the toxic nature of grind and hustle culture. Interspersed within are personal anecdotes from our time in IB as well as a reminder that even the seemingly most complete and put-together of people all struggle with these issues. 2021-03-1944 min
The WafflersEpisode 1: 'Pretty Privilege' and TiktokWelcome to the first episode of the Wafflers Podcast! In this episode, join three-fourths of our Wafflers team as we delve into the idea of 'pretty privilege', the notion that being attractive is a form of privilege - we discuss the impacts of colonialism and colorism on the standards of beauty in Asian and Western societies along with our own experiences.2021-02-1927 min
TEFL WaffleEpisode 77: How do Germans pronounce brie?Yes, and how do British people pronounce Wagga Wagga? Or how do Americans pronounce 'Sawatdi Krap'? And how does anyone pronounce Edinburgh? Are these political questions? Or are they issues of phonology? Does it matter? Well, today Troy and Steve make it matter a lot. Not only are these political and phonological, they are also podcastical and wafflable. Should South Africans really be upset when Australians mangle 'braai'? Should Troy be upset when Americans get a barbie confused with something feminine? Thanks to Te Reo for the closing clip we stole from www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2pjPdEskbs...2021-01-2434 min
The Great British Mickey WaffleWafflers Assemble: Live - Episode #3 - Get to know the Team - November 2020Join us for another live 'Waffle' as we answer 20 questions so you can find out more about us 'Wafflers' and we're happy to answer any of your questions during the live show, just leave them in the comments. Â
If you are listening to The Great British Mickey Waffle for the first time or if you want to get in touch as a regular listener â you can email us at themickeywaffle@gmail.com or get in touch via Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter - @GBMickeyWaffle
You will also find more at our newly updated website - Â www.themickeywaffle.com
Waffle on!2021-01-161h 55
The Great British Mickey WaffleWafflers Assemble: Live - Episode #2 - Happy Halloween - October 2020Join us as we get into the Halloween spirit and get all dressed up for the occasion. With no MNSSHP this year we will be doing our own Trick or Treat and of course we will 'Waffle On' about all things spooky. We'd love to know what your plans our for celebrating Halloween during the pandemic. Â Happy Halloween & Enjoy the Wafflers Assemble: Live! Â Don't forget to hit subscribe and allow notifications as it really does help our channel
If you are listening to The Great British Mickey Waffle for the first time or if you want to get in touch as...2021-01-162h 01TEFL WaffleEpisode 76: NominationNomination is the process of selecting individual students in the classroom to respond to a question. In this episode, the cat decided to nominate itself to be a very vocal member of the podcasting team, blasting Steve and Troy into oblivion with its eagerness to participate with you, dear listener. In between the cat, Steve and Troy self-nominate to discuss the question of nomination in the classroom. We nominate this episode to be the seventy sixth-episode. We also nominate you to figure out where that hyphen should actually be.
2020-12-3126 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 75: TITM: Kindergarten Cop 2Yes, we do sequels. This movie stars a kindergarten cop too, and it involves children and a cop, because it's a copy of a movie about a cop in a kindergarten. This time, there is chocolate, and pigs, and a creepy IT guy who turns out to be (spoiler alert) a hero. The moral of the story is that cops are probably best not put into kindergartens to teach, and in this movie, you'll see the complete range of idiot things a beginner (or cop) can do to make any kindergarten lesson a complete failure. Watch and cringe. I...2020-12-1232 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 74: Emotional investmentHow invested are you in your students? How long did it take you to become invested in this way? Why are some teachers not invested? What does it mean to be invested? Steve and Troy waffle in a rather circular and convoluted way about these and other wondrous questions in this very podcast! Listen to it.
2020-11-2125 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 73: FailureIn this podcast, Steve fails a lot. It's on purpose because he is doing a meta-demonstration of how failure can be a marvelous way to mortify - no, to create learning, development, growth and improvement. See, failure is a good thing, actually, even though most schools avoid, dodge, escape and evade it. What this podcast really is about is Troy's wonderful journey into the world of teaching Young Learners. Step aside, professional YL teachers - Troy is here!!
2020-11-0628 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 72: CLILDo you like your CLIL hard, or soft? Or would you prefer your CLIL tempered with a bit of EMI? And if you want to have a CLIL lesson, would you like your maths with a bit of English, or do you like your English with a bit of maths stuck in it? Should language teachers even worry about content, or is content the new future of ESL? All these penetrating questions! We've never written a blurb in this style before!
2020-10-2431 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 71: Teaching and learning onlineAre our learners really learning language when they're learning online only? If you can understand that question, nicely done! Steve and Troy successfully waffle about the stigma of online learning in the light of the latest fashion of staying at home when you study (because of Covid, not because people are too lazy to take a shower and wear fresh socks). How on earth, Troy and Steve wonder, can we even know when students are actually learning - but then again, we wonder this even when they're right in the classroom with you. What are the ways in which...2020-10-1128 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 70: TITM: To sir with loveTroy and Steve watched a movie. This movie had many classroom scenes, it was set in a school, had students and a few teachers. There was drama. There were underlying themes relating to society. Troy got upset about it. Steve thought it was all a big joke, especially the interview scene. Many ladies in the old days of yore thought this teacher was rather dishy. The movie has a happy ending. This blurb doesn't.
2020-09-2729 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 69: A return to the classroom ft. SuneeSunee demoted herself from manager and teacher trainer to classroom teacher. Or was it a promotion? She's back to tell us about what she has learned about herself as a teacher since she's gone back into the classroom to, well, teach. If you listen carefully you'll hear just how well she is designed for teaching young children. We always love having Sunee on the show because she brings a sense of sense and sensibility to an otherwise chaotic podcast.
2020-09-1326 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 68: Staffroom complaintsTeachers talk. A lot. They talk in the classroom, but they also talk in the staffroom, and this kind of staffroom chatter can sound like complaining, but it's also a really good way for teachers to be cathartic, to reflect, to develop professionally, and to stay sane. As a manager, this kind of positive staffroom waffle can be threatening. So how exactly should we look at the kinds of things teachers say in staffrooms? Troy and Steve waffle about staffroom waffling. Very meta.
2020-08-3026 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 67: Reading, or testing?How exactly do you teach reading? Can reading even be taught? Is there a difference between teaching reading and testing students' comprehension? Are you even reading this and how do we know you are? If you are reading, is there any way you really know if you comprehend anything on here? Should this blurb have some comprehension question to find out? In this exciting episode, Steve and Troy waffle effortlessly about the difficulties, challenges and complexities of teaching reading, and whether there is any difference between teaching and testing reading. If you listen to this podcast very carefully, listen...2020-08-1532 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 66: Using drama in the classroomRolling drums, crashing symbols, DRAMATIC INTRO!!!
Oh, Wait, not that kind of drama...
Steve: Children, what's the name of this episode?
Children: Scream uncontrollably.
Steve: That's right! Good job. And what are we going to do today?
Children: Scream less uncontrollably.
Steve: Good job! When are we going to do it?
Visiting principal: Steve, are you ok?
Â
2020-07-2831 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 65.2: TITM: Dangerous Minds Part 2This movie demanded a lot of waffling. Really, a lot. See if you can see the link between spiders in the tropics, and the core themes embedded in this movie on children studying high school in America. If you find it, you get a chance to win an opportunity to enter a raffle which will draw from thirty seventeenths randomly chosen special entrants for the privilege of wearing your own white t-shirt. This second part of the Dangerous Minds gives Troy all the more opportunity to go through his copious notes on the intricacies of the movie, its relevance...2020-07-1239 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 65: TITM: Dangerous MindsHave you ever watched a movie that has every cliche rolled into one blonde? This one has them all in one classroom. You can have them all for the price of one Snickers bar, and more. In fact, there are so many cliches to talk about here, Steve and Troy need two episodes to do it. Troy's copious notes on the topic of this teacher and her management of her class includes such issues as: gerunds, silence, awkward fighting in the classroom, marking in the bar, and swanky restaurants. If you haven't seen the movie - don't worry, they...2020-07-0430 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 64: Compliments from studentsAre you a good teacher? Do your students think you are good? How do you know? What sorts of things do they say? In today's session, Troy wants to waffle about how students compliment a teacher who is good (in their opinion) and how to deal with it. Steve has little to say today because nobody compliments him. However, the podcast cat, whose name is Katt, decided that today's a great day to include his own contribution by rubbing all over the microphone. What exactly does 'good' mean anyway - who decides. This is the huge philosophical question we...2020-06-1629 min
The Great British Mickey WaffleEpisode 16: Wafflers: Age of Cardboard - Birthday Special - June 2020In this episode Lloyd takes the reins as we virtually get together for our 1st Birthday party. As the sun rises on the parks once again, we feel a wave of positivity for future visits and all agree itâs the right time to talk about what we miss the most, or in brighter times what we look forward to the most.Â
We have the last Carousel of Questions in our quick fire decision series. This time John takes us through his answers. You will all have seen the Guardians of the Galaxy refresh to the Tower of...2020-06-011h 41TEFL WaffleEpisode 63: Learning ABCHow do children learn the alphabet? How do ESL learners learn the ABC? It's complex. In today's episode we have some authentic material - recordings of Troy's son learning the alphabet with his amazing father/teacher. What Steve and Troy are up to is taking a critical view of the books children learn their ABCs with. This is a cute episode, but you know that Steve and Troy have a lot of really critical things to say about whatever it is they are talking about. Waffle on, ABC teachers!
2020-05-2838 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 62: 6 Principles of Exemplary TeachingDo you want to be an exemplary teacher? Do you want to have an exemplary classroom? Or perhaps do you feel like having exemplary learning taking place in and around you? If you said yes to any one of those questions, you are amazing, and your prize is to get to listen to this exemplary podcast. You'll hear Troy start a lot of sentences and not always finish them. And you'll hear Steve waffling very well - really well indeed. Exemplary, in fact.Â
2020-05-1730 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 61: Mini-episodes: Technophones + HomeworkTroy and Steve are not usually too stupid. But when it comes to technology, they are. And why not - they are teachers, not computer geeks. So now that the world is crashing down in all sorts of random ways, and teachers are being called to action through a variety of online and technologically savvy platforms, some teachers (no names here please) are at a loss. Which apps do we use? How do you record this thing? Where are my students? Why is this microphone not on? We are useless. In this episode, listen to two mini-episodes in which...2020-04-2652 min
The Great British Mickey WaffleEpisode 13: Wafflers ask a question - Whatâs on Disney+? - April 2020A bonus episode where Wafflers ask the question - Whatâs on Disney+? Some great ideas to help your own viewing, opinions about some instant favourites and additional content from our very own mini wafflers too! Hope you are all safe and well. Our May show is coming âreal soonâ if you want to get in touch with us for a mention or indeed just a podcasting hug please get in touch by emailing us at themickeywaffle@gmail.com Stay safe and as always - Waffle on !2020-04-1758 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 60: TITM: My Fair LadyThis is a long movie with lots and lots of cultural- and time-bound references, and it's also a classic. And, it's about pronunciation! Do you like linguistics? No? How about applied linguistics? No? How about sociolinguistics? No? How about love stories with cultural and time bound references? Well any one of those, and this movie is for you. If not, well, we didn't much like it either. Nevertheless, in it you will find some fascinating references to teaching pronunciation that work in the movie, and might even work in a classroom. Who knows - better try!
2020-04-1526 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 59: Remote teaching - the idiot's versionWe need to keep our distance from people, because, well, it's Covid time. So teachers have to teach from home, and podcasters have to podcast from home(s). How hard can it be, right? Just do what you do, but do it at home. Well, we have empirical evidence, in the form of this podcast, that if things can go wrong with technology, they will, and that it feels super work through technology, especially if you aren't a techie sort of Star Trek guy. So, in this episode, Troy and Steve show you how not to use technology to...2020-04-0528 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 58: Teaching in a time of CovidThe end isn't nigh, but it does mean we need to change how we think about teaching, learning, technology, life in general and the nature of classroom interaction. That's hard for Steve - he isn't cut out for this sort of stuff, and you can hear him complaining about all this change on this very episode! Troy, however, is managing only slightly better. Really - these wafflers are not the best at online language teaching. Cough. At least teachers are already really adept at avoiding smearing chalk dust or blue whiteboard gunk on their faces...
2020-03-2928 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 57: Working with parentsParents have an important role to play in education. For one thing, they provide the children. But more importantly, they can support or undermine the school and the teacher depending on the way that they are trained. I mean, communicated with. Yes. So how can we make sure our parents work together with us as teachers in a way that benefits the child? Is that even possible? After all, the teacher's job is to teach, and the parents' job is to parent. Ya.Â
2020-03-1528 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 56: Moving back to the classroomToday, we have Sunee as our superstar guest. Sunee is not just a superstar guest, she is also a superstar young learners guru. Now Sunee is moving back into the classroom to be with her children and abandoning her fantastic role as a teacher trainer, teacher manager and school supervisor. Why on earth would a teacher demote herself from a manager back to a teacher? Well, Sunee is going to explain it all to us. By the end of the podcast you'll hate the prospect of being a manager. Here we go!!
2020-03-0124 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 55: TITM - Here comes the boomYort and Evets are lovers of movies. This time, it's a movie about a school, some teachers, and a bunch of amazing students. The basic premise, which they don't waffle about at all, is school corruption. We all hate corrupt schools, don't we? No wait, this is a movie about a good teacher gone bad and going back to good. Oh no, wait. It's about a school which needs an injection of life and energy. Oh hang on - it's about a music teacher who needs help with his job. So, listen along as we talk about this movie...2020-02-1538 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 54: Your lazy colleagueDo you have colleagues? Are they are nice as Troy? Or are they lazy, rubbish colleagues like Steve? Are they complaining a lot because someone hasn't done their job properly? Is it your fault that the students didn't learn in that other lesson? In this podcast, Steve and Troy waffle, as usual, but they also say um and ah a lot, close curtains, make silly jokes and misunderstand each other's points all the time. Oh right, they also talk about the silly sorts of things that come up in a staffroom dialogues when there is an obnoxious teacher in...2020-02-0627 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 53: Demanding accuracyTeacher's sometime forget to do writing tasks in class. Or maybe they don't like doing them because they involvement so much marking. Or maybe they think they aren't important. Anyway, when we do do them, how important is it it it it for the writing to me accurately? If their are mistakes, will it distract the reader? Is it the teacher's job to encourage, or discouraging mistakes?
Who's brain broken after this paragraph?
2020-01-1926 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 52: Student motivationWe aren't in the mood to write this blurb.Â
2020-01-0527 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 51: Peer critiqueTroy has a colleague who has a problem with him and is suffering from a critique. Troy also has a problem with that first sentence as he's unsure who the subject of the second verb is. Steve has a problem with criticism of sentences. Anyway, why anyone would dare critique Troy is beyond anything we can understand because he's perfect in many ways, nevertheless it happened. Have you had a colleague make comments about your teaching? How does it feel? What did you do? Why does it make a difference? Listen to Steve waffling about this with Troy as...2019-12-0727 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 50: Teachers in the Movies - Fast Times at Richmond HighIt's time for an analysis of a teacher in the movies, and it's 'Fast Times at Richmond High' this time around. And our fantastic teacher is Mr Hand, whose first words we hear are "Aloha. I am Mr. Hand." Pretty cool, huh? If you haven't met Mr. Hand, let Evets and Yort lead you through the intricate pedagogy of this teacher at Richmond High, as seen through the lens of a bunch of teens. He is a fascinating teacher, and this is a fascinating school, and only one podcast doesn't allow these two pod wafflers to fully explore the...2019-11-2429 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 49: Planning an ice-breakerIf you listened to our last podcast about lesson planning, you'll remember Steve planned a lesson for Troy, who then taught it and reported it to be a disaster of Pompeii-an proportions. This time, you can listen to Troy and Steve doing it the other way around. Troy is planning and Steve is commenting inanely in the background. Â To make things more complicated, they don't know the students nor the location they will be teaching. That means they will have to prepare a nice, juicy ice-breaker to get all the students ready for the class and give everyone a c...2019-11-0935 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 48: How to be a boring teacherSteve read an interesting paper and wants to share it with everyone - and you are included. The paper really is interesting, he isn't wrong, though Troy has some things to say about what Steve finds interesting and how sad his life is generally. Anyway, the thrust of the paper, and this podcast episode, are the really useful tricks and tips for how to be a boring teacher. Trust us, these are the best list of tips you'll come across, and you can depend on them being all you need to become the best boring teacher and achieve all...2019-10-2633 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 47: TestingLove it or hate it, testing is an integral part of a teacher's life, and an even more integral part of a student's life. Hate it because it's time consuming, irritating, overblown, and in many schools poorly managed. There is also that awful problem of negative washback. Love it because it provides everyone with useful feedback on what is happening with the learning process, and also because students use it as a way of motivating themselves to learn. So how do you feel about testing? How does Troy feel (about testing, but about life in general). Does Steve feel...2019-09-2926 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 46: PersistenceTroy has a problem. That's not really true - he has many, but this is one particular problem with one particular group of students. Can Steve help him solve this problem in any meaningful way? Can Steve even understand what the problem is? Along the way, we discuss the nature of teens, the ego of a dedicated teacher, the bizarre relationships between teachers and teen classes, and the importance of persistence as a way of dealing with the vagaries of the students' response to our efforts as teachers.Â
2019-09-0827 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 45.2: Teachers in the movies - School of Rock part 2You know, some movies have a lot of stuff going on in them. This is not really one of them, but if you are a teacher interested in bad teaching, task-based learning, student motivation and self-actualization of large crowds of parents, then might just work for you. Ignore the first 10 minutes, which we discussed in Part 1, which is absolutely remarkable in terms of cringe-worthiness, Troy and Steve have an entire page-worth of things to discuss, argue, and bicker about. One just wishes Troy would organize his notes into themes like a good Lit101 student should. So, onwards into an...2019-08-1747 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 45: Teachers in the movies - School of Rock part 1Have you ever been in a class where a teacher is a complete tit? Have you ever seen a teacher so embarrassing you've wanted to commit suicide? Do you know teachers who are so bad that you wish they, you and all the students were just not there for the duration of that class? Or perhaps have you ever watched a movie that you've hated so much that you've wanted to throw the TV at Troy? Well, In School of Rock you get all of that and much much more. Jack Black is absolutely awesome at being a rubbish...2019-08-1140 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 44: Movement in the classroomClassrooms are places where students are encouraged to sit quietly, listen carefully and basically be awesomely well behaved. That's probably not a good idea if you want the students to learn. You really want students up and about and shouting and moving and speaking in order for learning to take place. Do teachers know that movement is important? Even for adults? If not, should they be taught to put their right foot in first, or shake it all about?
2019-07-2128 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 43: Marking When people think of 'teaching', they often think about a knowledgeable person at a whiteboard talking to the class. What they don't consider is the hours and hours and hours of loneliness at desks with stacks of papers and red pens. Boring and useless, right? Wrong! Or perhaps right! We don't know - or maybe we do. Listen to us fight, argue, bicker and quibble about this with much righteous indignation. Listen out for the sound of the curtains being closed!
2019-07-0740 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 42: World EnglishesWhat do you think - should teachers teaching English teach English English or American English? How's that for a question, huh? What if you are a South African? Can you teach South African English? And how about if you are Australian? Can an Australian teach English English with confidence, or should he teach American English, or would he have no confidence with that either? And what should the students learn? Does it matter? Are there enough questions in this blurb? Should we add a few more? What would your English be like if you would of lived somewhere other...2019-06-1530 minTEFL WaffleEpisode 41: Planning a lessonIn this exciting episode of TEFLwaffle, which is the 41st of the series, incidentally, Troy challenges Steve to go through his lesson planning process. Steve, challenged and up against the wall, plans a lesson under the watchful gaze of Troy, whose critical approach to watching Steve is both stressful, hurtful and rather amusing. If you are a lesson planning sort of person, you can compare what you do with Steve's rather Steve-ish approach to managing what he will do with his class. Every time Steve makes a mistake, gets confused, or fumbles with understanding what it is he has...2019-06-0150 minTEFL WaffleTeachers in the movies - Bad TeacherYort and Evets give a lot of spoilers away here. If you haven't seen this movie - don't listen to the podcast if you plan to. But if you are a teacher, and you want to find out about why this movie is called Bad Teacher, it gets explained here in exquisite detail. Find out how not to teach, what a bad teaching colleague is like, how to buck the system, and how to just be completely awful as a teaching professional by either listening to this podcast, or watching the movie - either will do. Yort and Evets...2019-05-1932 minTEFL WaffleThe curriculumSteve really goes on a waffle hunt of note today, on and on and on about the content, nature, use, purpose and philsophical nature of an EFL course curriculum. You had no idea this was such an interesting topic. Just listen - by the end of this, you may just firmly establish for yourself that this is really not that interesting at all. Troy is patient and kindly offers suggestions when Steve deigns to stop waffling for a moment. Oh, and just what is the plural of curriculum anyway?
2019-05-0527 minTEFL WaffleIn-service teacher trainingTeachers who are already teaching benefit from additional training: what we called in-service training. Should this in-service training be internal (at school) or external (out there somewhere, like a nice fancy hotel), and how much time should be given to it? Who should conduct it? Who should be the teachers who go for this kind of training? What exactly are the benefits of it all? Today, Troy has a nerdy story about off-site in-service training from his school which gives us plenty of food for thought.
2019-04-2627 minTEFL WaffleGiving advice part 2Do you ever ask another teacher to help with lesson ideas? Do you give other teachers advice on how to run their lesson? Well, in part 1 Troy stupidly asked Steve for advice on a lesson, and Steve stupidly gave it. In the mean time, Troy went and stupidly taught the lesson, and brings his stupid tales of woe, suffering, hardship and destruction. Of course, it's all stupid Steve's fault because his stupid advice was stupid. Ot was it because stupid Troy has no idea how to implement good stupid advice when he hears it (stupidly)? Or is it something...2019-04-0543 minTEFL WaffleGiving advice - part 1 of 2."Oh man, I've go to teach this page tomorrow and I have no idea how to." "What am I supposed to do for an activity?" "Huh, Really? OK, I'll try it..."Â Sometimes teachers ask and give one another advice on lessons, activities, dealing with students and the like. That's great because teachers share, get new ideas and form part of a community of professionals. But how does it go? Can your ideas easily transfer to another teachers class? How much tweaking is needed? Well, this episode Troy asks Steve for help with a lesson, and Steve obligingly obliges with l...2019-03-3030 minTEFL WaffleTeachers in the movies - The Breakfast ClubIt's Teachers in the Movies! Yort and Evets are analyzing the Breakfast Club - that paragon of teen angst with a hateful teacher and 4 troubled individuals who find themselves and each other and help us find ourselves along the way. If you're a teacher, there are lots and lots of things going on here that need to be questioned with deep concern. If you haven't seen it, don't bother - just listen to these two guys waffle about it all. Listen particularly as Evets vents in righteous indignation about this absolutely incredible display of educational ineptitude.
2019-03-1230 minTEFL WaffleEliciting and concept checkingEliciting and concept checking form an important part of teacher talk, at least according to some. But what are they? Are they really necessary? How do you do them well? Why bother? What's the point the point of asking redundant questions that you already know the answers to, like this one? Would anyone ever do that? Well, teachers do, and students don't seem to mind, and there is a possibility that we sound like pompous idiots. But possibly not. So, let's waffle about these questions about questions to find the answers that might be the answers to all answers.2019-02-2428 minTEFL WaffleAre you experienced?How experienced do you have to be to be considered experienced? This is the circular kind of question that Steve and Troy love waffling about. So, are you experienced? What does it mean to be experienced? When exactly did you become experienced? What changed when you suddenly became experienced? Do experienced teachers help students and other teachers more than inexperienced teachers? We waffle about this, and much much more. Oh, and Steve says some bad words - watch out for that.
2019-02-1029 minTEFL WaffleMarking, anyone?Steve and Troy waffle up a storm. It's Steve's turn to be belligerent and he's doing on about marking. Or is it grading? Or evaluating? Or giving feedback? Whatever it is, teachers hate it, students hate it and yet it has to be done, and it's really useful for students' development. Or is it? Listen to Troy dancing around the edges of this very prescriptive and red-pen laced topic which sits close to every teacher's resignation letter.
2019-01-2329 minTEFL WaffleNeuromythsTroy and Steve have a heavy duty waffle about the things we have been led to believe are true but are not in fact supported by research. Troy brings up the example of the myth that we only use 10% of our brain, but a more interesting waffle is about the myth of VAK, then even more interestingly a waffle about MI, and we touch on learner strategies, and then we get onto the myth that Steve actually knows anything much at all. But hang on, are these really all myths and should they all be thrown out with the...2019-01-0529 minTEFL WaffleTeachers in the Movies: Ferris BuellerIt's not TEFLWaffle!! No, instead Yort and Evets are waffling about teachers in the movies. Ferris Bueller has a lot of teachers in it, and they are wonderful to talk about because they are all so stereotypically awful. Really, they are. Well, Evets thinks so, anyway. If you've seen the movie, come share in the discussion. If you haven't, come find out what you have missed from the 80s. And if you've never seen this movie, we'll make sure you hate it enough by the end that you'll stand out as an individual amongst your peers in your weekly...2018-12-1532 minTEFL WaffleOut of the loopIn some schools, a clear distinction is made between the local teachers and the foreigner teachers. Working in these schools as a foreigner means things are sometimes rather opaque. This is the topic of today's episode. Why does that happen? What can be done about it? As usual, Steve and Troy will waffle endlessly, throwing ideas around, solving all the problems, and just generally being show-off know-it-alls.Â
2018-12-0230 minTEFL WaffleWhy teach?Why are you a teacher? Yes, Troy and Steve waffle about this question, whether we make a difference, how teachers stay interesting in their jobs and all other kinds of stuff like that. Troy uses wonderfully banal analogies, Steve gives bizarre examples and neither of us have any doubt about the benefits and wonder of teaching. But really, why do some teachers teach well? This, in fact, is the real question. Isn't it?
2018-11-2529 minTEFL WaffleUsing the whiteboardSteve is on a mission to define what good board work is. Is a board necessary in a language classroom? Can Troy and Steve come up with 5 principles for good use of the whiteboard? Is Steve just barking up the wrong board? Will Troy ever agree with Steve on anything? Will you agree with Troy? Can you hear, somewhere in the podcast, Steve closing the curtains? Â Will you hear the phone ring? Will you be able to listen to both Steve's waffle and the phone ringing at the same time? Listen to one of the least professional waffles about b...2018-11-0930 minTEFL WaffleTeachers in the Movies - Kindergarten CopIt's not TEFLWaffle, it's TITM! Today, Evets and Yort waffle about Arnold Schwarzenegger, and how good (or is it bad?) he is at teaching kindergarten. If you haven't watched the movie, don't worry - we'll tell you all about it. If you have watched it, great, you can waffle along with us in your head as we go. The nice thing about this movie is that the plot builds in the concept of teacher development - Arnie can't teach, and then he can! It's actually amazing how much Arnie stretches his teaching muscles in only 90 minutes (or 91 perhaps). We...2018-10-2326 minTEFL WaffleIt doesn't work!Steve and Troy wonder, wafflingingly, what happens when a teacher tries the communicative approach and it fails. Some teachers fight it, don't understand it, get confused by it, and even maybe reject it! Or maybe it's the students who reject it? Oh wait, is it maybe worth rejecting? Both Troy and Steve have lots and lots of things to say about teachers who are incompatible with the communicative approach - join us and laugh at Steve's stupid stories.Â
2018-10-0728 minTEFL WaffleTeachers' beliefsWhat do you believe? How do your beliefs change what you do in the classroom? What do you believe about podcasts? Are your beliefs congruent with Troy's beliefs? If so, I have a number for a good psychiatrist. Anyway, today we waffle. Specifically we waffle about what how beliefs influence what we do as teachers, as learners, and as trainers. Believe me, you're going to hear the word belief a lot! Â
2018-09-2329 minTEFL WaffleTeachers and conferencesWhat's the point of hanging around with a bunch of teachers in a formal event where you have to talk about teaching and eat pre-prepared food? Do you really want to hang out with the type of teachers who are so obsessed with their profession that they choose to spend their own money on attending an event to show off how into it they are? Aren't they all just academic weirdos stroking each other's egos? Should I endeavor to be a stroker and keep stroking until I finally become an elvated strokee? We tackle these important questions, giggle a...2018-09-0931 minTEFL WaffleClassroom observationsTroy and Steve waffle and waffle. Today Steve really waffles up a storm, he really does! So today they are waffling about the wonderful world of getting observed while you teach, observing teachers giving lessons, the difference between evaluation and feedback, and every now and again the cat gets to add some waffle support too. Troy say the word 'autonomic' which I don't understand - see if you can hear it. Email us with a definition. And, who watches the watchers that break multiple grammar rules in the beginning of a single sentence? Is that why we have a s...2018-09-0136 minTEFL WaffleTeaching young learnersToday Troy and Steve have a guest - it's Sunee! Sunee has been teaching young learners since she herself was young. It's part of her genes. She knows a lot about children, children's classes, children's material, children's behaviour and all sort of other things about children and their classrooms. We grill her about all this stuff. In particular, we wonder how we might know who is destined to be a teacher of young learners, and whether the characteristics that make a YL teacher are bred into them by some twist at birth, or whether it's something someone can learn.
2018-08-1227 minTEFL WaffleTeachers in the Movies - Good Morning VietnamTroy and Steve have taken the day off, but Yort and Evets are standing in. They don't Waffle about TEFL. Instead, they'll be exploring, in exquisite detail, the way teachers and teaching are portrayed in the movies - and today's movie is Good Morning Vietnam! Which is set in Vietnam, actually. In this movie, Robin Williams is a teacher sometimes. Yes he really is. But, do teachers in movies know how to teach? Or is it a farce designed to trick the layman? Does Robin know how to teach (his character in the movie, that is)?  Does he make any st...2018-07-2828 minTEFL WaffleExtra-curricular activitiesIt's Steve who has a big fat waffle about things that happen outside of the classroom that may be opportunities for learning. At the end of the day it's time for the teacher to go home, sit in the garden and sip a pina colada... But wait! The school would really like it if you came back on Sunday and helped show off to the parents how special thieir programme is, look handsome and/or pretty (or both), and justify all those shiny school fees they're paying. Is this part of our job too? Should we be paid a...2018-07-1531 minTEFL WaffleHow much is enough?Troy and Steve ask the crucial questions - how much should a teacher work? How many hours should we teach? How much time should we spend planning? Are we working too much? Should we work more? Does anyone know how much we work? Are any of these questions pertinent? Should we stop asking questions like this? Anyway, Steve has opinions, Troy has stories and we both waffle enoughly about working as a teacher.
2018-07-0728 minTEFL WaffleReading researchTroy has a question about whether teachers need to read formal research. What's the point of all these academics doing endless research instead of actually teaching? Surely those who do, do, but those who observe don't? Which is mightier, the practionioner or the theoretician? Should teachers even bother? Steve has a lot of things to say about this, though his opinion is really flawed and completely biased anyway. Troy, in the other hand, has a whiteboard marker.
2018-06-1036 minTEFL WaffleGolden Rules for teachersSteve has chosen the topic today. That's always a little dangerous. What, he asks cunningly, is the golden rule for teachers in the classroom? Do you have a golden rule for yourself as a teacher? Compare it with Troy's response! Then compare it with Steve's idea. Compare yours and Troy's with what the teachers you work with think is a golden rule for their classroom. Is there only one golden rule? Or are there two? Or are there zillions of golden rules? This podcast almost hits the infinity button, and as usual, waffling ensues.
2018-05-2625 minTEFL WaffleSucking as a language learnerLanguage learning is complex and subject a lot of variables - which Applied Linguists love researching. Troy and Steve waffle about it in a very unscientific way, citing absolutely no research and instead simply whinging about what it is that makes us as language learners useless at learning languages. Come wallow in our self-pity with us.
2018-05-1234 minTEFL WaffleSoft skills and the language classroomToday our special guest Stuart softly cajoles us into the meaningful and exciting world of soft skills in the classroom. An exerienced motivational speaker and general British fellow, Stuart has been a language teacher for quite a while now, and brings to his teaching his perspective that people are, in fact, people and should be treated as such. What does it mean when a students asks 'Teacher, can yoiu help me prepare my presentation that I have to present presently?' Oh, and Stu also waffles pretty well too.
2018-04-2942 minTEFL WaffleSubstitutingToday Bob's not around so Steve and Troy waffle about substituting and why it's good for your proessional health. Notice, as an asside, that Troy's responses are muted in today's episode, and relfect on possible reasons for that.Â
2018-04-1627 minTEFL WaffleWhat or How - What's more important?Teachers have to focus on both content and methodology. For our learners, which is more important? What do you think? What does Troy think? Does Steve even think at all?Â
As a fun drinking game, don't take a shot everytime you hear a response token like 'um, er, ah, erm', unless you're really looking to get alchohole piosening.
2018-04-0125 minTEFL WaffleTeacher repertoireOne characteristic of an accomplished teacher is the size of their repertoire. No, that is not a euphamism. Really. Anyway, Troy has a big one and likes to waffle about it and it makes him really awesome. Almost perfect. Is a repertoire as important as we make it out to be?Â
2018-03-0732 minTEFL WaffleTechnology and the classroomCan teachers even technology?? Especially old teachers like Steve, and also ones that are teaching an experientially orientated thing like language. It's so bewlideringly complex, but it's also so breathtakingly attractive at the same time. What on earth should we do? Giggle and chortle along as Troy as he recounts his opinions, and roll your eyes in despair as Steve tries to sound intelligent on this topic.
2018-02-0427 minTEFL WaffleMovement and learningSteve tells a lot of boring stories, Troy tells a lot of boring stories, but somehow we create some meaning about the beliefs held by teachers (and management) about children in the classroom, movement, noise and acitivities. Waffle on!
2018-01-2029 minTEFL WaffleMaking mistakes in the classroomTroy, and sometimes Steve, waffle(s?) about making mistakes when we teach, train or just generally live. Is it humble and noble to admit you're, oops, your mistakes? Is it better to remain a bastion of perfection and never make mistakes at all? This podcast is absolutely mistake free.
2018-01-1315 minTEFL WaffleHow English is your EnglishWe worry, waffle, wonder and whine about the nature of the English that teachers speak (or are supposed to speak) in the classroom. How much is there to waffle about on a topic like this? Well, come find out!
2017-12-2328 minTEFL WaffleLoving languagesThis time, Steve and Troy (not in that order) waffle about whether language teachers should love languages, or perhaps English, or whether they should just love teaching. This is very exciting stuff; to us anyway.
2017-12-0213 minTEFL WaffleMetalanguage - should we use it in the classroom?We waffle around the issue of whether teachers should, must, ought to or (add in a modal auxiliary of your choice) use metalanguage when teaching. How do students respond to the teacher talking about past participles? Can teachers handle students asking questions about subjunctives? Do we tell the students about bilabial plosives? We also waffle about guitars and cars because they make cool analogies.
2017-11-1816 minTEFL WaffleSharing and caring in the staffroomWe waffle about staffrooms and the culture of being a professional teacher around other teachers. Should we zealously hoard all our best stuff so that we can be the star teacher of the school, or should we be lovely and egalitarian to bring up the capabilities of the staff room as a whole? Which is more important? Your students? Or the school?
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2017-11-0425 minTEFL WaffleUnexpected and difficult student questionsTroy and Steve waffle about those awkward questions students sometimes ask that stump, confuse or otherwise bewilder the unsuspecting teacher. "Teacher, what does unsuspecting mean?" As usual Troy waffles much more blithely than Steve, but Steve's quickly catching on.Â
2017-10-2615 min
TEFL WaffleTintin in the classroom: Lessons about elicitingTintin goes to the classroom, and although he makes a valiant attempt, doesn't do very well according to Steve. Explore with Steve and Troy why Tintin doesn't seem to be able to elicit successfully, and listen to them waffling about eliciting, teaching, and Snowy's superiority in classroom management.Â
2017-08-2729 min
TEFL WaffleUsing the students' language in the classroomIn this episode, Troy and Steve consider what teachers should do about speaking the students' mother tongue in the classroom. To speak, or not to speak, that is the quesiton.
2017-08-1415 min