Teachers Talk Radio

In the first episode of The Sunday Social, Martin Sketchley welcomes seasoned ELT professional Dylan Gates to explore the theory and practice of Dogme ELT. With nearly 30 years of experience, Dylan reflects on his journey through language education and discusses how Dogme—a minimalist, conversation-driven approach to teaching—has shaped his teaching philosophy. Together, they delve into the origins of Dogme, its principles, classroom applications, and the balance between structure and spontaneity. The conversation also touches on the challenges and benefits of Dogme in both in-person and online settings, and its relevance for learners of all levels. Full of practical insights and personal stories, this episode is a must-listen for any language teacher curious about learner-centered, materials-light instruction.

Join Tom Rogers, Yasmin Omar, Tarjinder Gill, Lucy Trimnell and Will Mercer for this episode of Points of View. They discuss Amanda Spielman being awarded a peerage in the House of Lords. In addition, they discuss ‘Colour-blind’ research that claims race is not a factor in school exclusions which has been slammed as ‘nonsense’.

In this show, Famida Choudhary is joined by educator and curriculum visionary Kinnari Kotecha for a powerful conversation on reimagining education beyond the syllabus. Together, they explore how joy, inquiry, emotional intelligence, and student agency can transform classrooms into spaces of real-life learning. From the importance of teacher self-reflection to designing future-ready schools rooted in wellbeing, this episode offers deep insights for educators looking to ignite meaningful change.

On today's show I spoke to Alastair Grant about the Science of Learning. The conversation mentions the recent IATEFL plenary on the subject, and Alastair's follow-up video.

Does your classroom need to be Instagram ready? Darren considers the aesthetics of the classroom in this week's Saturday morning breakfast.

Darren talks about how we can use simple classroom management strategies to supplement our accessibility structures and accomodations in order to make a truly inclusive classroom environment. 

From spider invasions and classroom frogs to the intense debate around scrapping half-terms—this episode of the Monday Late Show is full of honest reflections and hilarious anecdotes from the frontlines of teaching. Hosts Lianne and Rae swap stories about insect trauma, shed demolition disasters, and staffroom survival strategies. But it’s not all bugs and banter—they step into the serious debate about term structures, workload, and why half-terms might just be saving teachers’ sanity. Grab your flat white and join the conversation (just don’t bring any spiders).

In this thought provoking show, Mike and John explore the future of assessment with a panel of passionate educators and AI literacy experts. From traditional exams to project-based learning, from student metacognition to AI-enhanced conversations, we explore how assessment needs to evolve to truly serve learners. With insights from Khanh Duc Kuttig and Mike Kentz, we ask: What’s the real purpose of assessment? How do we prepare students for a rapidly changing world? And how can AI be a tool for deeper learning rather than a shortcut?

Chris and Mo are joined by Peter Basford and Andy Skinner for a conversation on Beyond the classroom: Linking Enterprise and Education.

Today's conversation featured Mehrdad Mohajeri and was about trauma-informed pedagogy and the use of comedy and humour. There's also an exceprt from a previous show with Jamie Keddie, when we discussed the intersection of stand-up comedy and teaching.