Author Archives: Tom Godfrey

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.

Exploring the Nature of Teaching and Learning: A Collective Reflection

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

As teachers in the dynamic world of education, having a clear understanding of the nature of teaching and learning provides the bedrock for our teaching beliefs and behaviour. Is learning primarily about acquiring knowledge or developing skills? Is teaching primarily … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged drama, ELT, Facilitation skills, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, weekend workshop, whole person learning | Leave a comment

8 Key Reasons to Use Ice Breakers and Getting to Know You Activities

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

Take deep breaths, check all the materials are ready (again), walk into the first workshop or lesson with a new group. Even after 40 years’ experience, those first few minutes with a new group of participants are always special. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged classroom, drama, education, ELT, GTKY, ice breakers, ITI, learning, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teachers, teaching, Tom Godfrey, Warmers, whole person learning | Leave a comment

“Presence and Performance”: What do these terms mean for teachers?

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

Creating a presence online. It is not easy to ask a question in a large lecture hall in front of a full auditorium to an academician who is recognized as the leader in their field. Professor Erika Fischer-Lichte was receiving … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged ELT, ITI, online presence, presence, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teaching online, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

FEEDBACK: Crucial to learning yet often skipped by teachers. Why?

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

What makes conducting effective ‘Feedback’ difficult? What is feedback? John Hattie’s meta-study, “Visible Learning,” conducted in 2009, meticulously compiled various factors believed to impact student achievement. Not surprisingly, feedback emerged as a pivotal element, claiming the top spot among 138 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ELT, Feedback, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey | 1 Comment

A LEGACY OF TRAINING EXCELLENCE

Posted on May 22, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

Posted in TEFL | Tagged CELTA, DELTA, ELT, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, Train the Trainer | 1 Comment

Facilitation Skills: Feedback (part 3)

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

What is feedback? John Hattie’s meta-study, “Visible Learning,” conducted in 2009, meticulously compiled various factors believed to impact student achievement. Not surprisingly, feedback emerged as a pivotal element, claiming the top spot among 138 identified factors. But what exactly do … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged Facilitation skills, Feedback, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Tom Godfrey | Leave a comment

Facilitation Skills (part 2)

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

Communication Understanding communication is fundamental to facilitating effective interactions in any setting. Communication serves a purpose, often transactional in nature, where information is exchanged to achieve specific outcomes. This exchange relies on creating an information gap, where one party possesses … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ELT, Facilitation skills, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

Facilitation Skills (Part 1)

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

What are Facilitation Skills? Facilitation skills are vital tools in guiding groups through discussions, meetings, and learning processes to achieve specific goals. But before considering what these skills entail, let’s step back and consider the broader landscape of teaching and … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged ELT, Facilitation skills, ITI, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment

“Global Teaching Dreams? Make Them Real with ITI Istanbul”

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

Are you dreaming of making a significant impact in the world of English language education? If so, you should consider joining ITI Istanbul on one of their premium teacher training courses. Apply today, transform your aspirations into reality, and embark … Continue reading →

Posted in TEFL | Tagged CELTA, DELTA, education, ELT, meditation, news, poetry, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, Tom Godfrey | Leave a comment

Empowering Educators with Facilitation Skills

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Tom Godfrey

Transforming Education In the era of dynamic digital connectivity, the call to revolutionize education grows louder. Traditional lecture-based approaches are seen to be failing today’s learners. Generation Z and Alpha crave interactive, participatory learning experiences. As we embrace this shift, … Continue reading →

Posted in Teacher Development | Tagged collaborative learning, drama, education, ELT, faci;itation masterclass, Facilitation, Facilitation skills, ITI, learning, Teacher Development, Teacher education, Teacher Training, teaching, technology, Tom Godfrey, whole person learning | Leave a comment