Author Archives: Tom Godfrey

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About Tom Godfrey

I am an ELT teacher and teacher trainer. I am Director of ITI, Istanbul a training institute in Istanbul. I am also founder of Speech Bubbles theatre which performs musicals to raise money for children and education.

Teaching Is Taking People on Journeys: A simple storytelling exercise that reminds teachers what learning really feels like.

The 10-Minute Exercise That Turns Strangers into Storytellers In my Teaching Artistry workshops, I sometimes say something unusual to the group: “Find a partner.You’re about to take them on a journey.” There are no slides.No handouts.No theory. Just imagination. Within … Continue reading

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Map of the Floor: When Teachers Step Into Their Story

An embodied reflection on identity, presence, and the journeys that shape how we teach. The Simple Workshop Exercise That Reveals a Teacher’s Journey In my Teaching Artistry workshops, I sometimes ask teachers to do something unusual. I tell them to … Continue reading

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What Are You Chasing?

The Game of Tag That Becomes a Mirror for Teachers How a simple running game exposes burnout, ambition, and the hidden pressures shaping your teaching. In my Teaching Artistry workshops, I sometimes begin with a game. A running game. Arms … Continue reading

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Hypnosis And The Exercise That Reveals How You Handle Control

Columbian Hypnosis (And Why Every Teacher Should Try It) In my Teaching Artistry workshops, I sometimes tell teachers: “You’re about to hypnotise each other.” There’s always a pause. Then laughter. Then curiosity. The activity is called Colombian Hypnosis, developed by … Continue reading

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Unlocking Teacher Potential: The Owl Transformation

The Owl Transformation The 10-Minute Activity That Reveals More About Teaching Than a Lecture Ever Could I often begin my Teaching Artistry workshops with a warning: “This activity is dangerous.” Teachers look concerned. Then I tell them they’re going to … Continue reading

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Every Time You Give Feedback, You Choose Control or Trust

Feedback Isn’t Neutral: What Every Facilitator Is Really Choosing Feedback feels like the responsible thing to do. Learners expect it.Institutions demand it.Teachers are trained to provide it. But feedback is never just feedback. Every time a facilitator responds to learner … Continue reading

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What You Do While Learners Are Talking Matters More Than What You Say

What Do You Do While Learners Are Talking? The hidden craft of facilitating discussion Facilitation doesn’t reveal itself in the lesson plan. It reveals itself after the activity has started. Once learners begin speaking freely—really speaking—the facilitator faces a very … Continue reading

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Every Time a Learner Speaks, They Take a Risk

Participation isn’t about confidence or motivation.It’s about how much risk the learning space asks learners to carry. Participation Isn’t About Confidence.It’s About Risk. Facilitation isn’t just about getting more people to speak.It’s about how much risk speaking feels like. Every … Continue reading

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The Importance of First Impressions in Facilitation

The First Five Minutes Matter More Than You Think The first five minutes of a lesson, workshop, or course often do more pedagogical work than the next fifty. Before learners engage with content or objectives, they encounter something more immediate: … Continue reading

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Warmers and Ice Breakers

A mingling activity like ‘find someone who’ is an example of an effective warmer activity. And basically there are three stages. There’s the setting up stage where the instructions need to be clear. And you notice that the facilitator was … Continue reading

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