Cafetalk 讲师专栏

【湘南ライフ #01】スラムダンクの聖地｜JP/EN/繁中

私は神奈川県の湘南に住んでいます。湘南といえば、海を思い浮かべる人が多いかもしれません。実はこのエリアは、人気漫画『SLAM DUNK』の舞台としても知られています。アニメのオープニングに登場する踏...

How to Speak When You Don’t Know the Word

One of the most frustrating moments in English is this: You are speaking. You are confident. You kn...

【東京駅周辺 #03】ジブリと日本テレビ｜JP/EN/繫中

東京駅から2駅、新橋駅の近くには、日本テレビの社屋があります。その外壁に設置されているのが、ジブリの世界観を感じさせる大きなからくり時計です。宮崎駿さんがデザインしたこの時計は、時間になると動き出し...

Daily English Upgrade #025: Interview Upgrade — “Tell me about yourself” (30-sec template)

This question is easy to overthink. Use a simple 3-part flow: Now: what you do now Before: one key ...

【東京駅周辺 #02】スカイバス｜JP/EN/繁中

昼の東京をちょっと特別な目線で楽しみたいとき、「スカイバス」はいかがでしょうか？東京駅周辺から出発する、屋根のない2階建てバスです。2階のオープン席に座ると、いつも見ているビルや街並みがまったく違っ...

Daily English Upgrade #028: Mini-Conversation — Fixing misunderstandings (“Sorry, I meant…”)

Misunderstandings happen. These phrases keep you calm and clear. Fix it smoothly: Sorry, I meant… L...

“If You Could Master One Skill Overnight, What Would It Be?”

Imagine waking up tomorrow with one new skill mastered. Would it be speaking another language, play...

Prepare yourself before and online class

Daily English Upgrade #024: JP Trap Fix — Plurals that matter (-s)

That small “-s” changes meaning more than people expect. Quick rule: singular = general concept / o...

Self-Motivation Is Hard — But a Positive Mindset Is Power

Let’s be honest: self-motivation is not always easy. There are days when you feel tired, discourage...

Delay hinders Progress

As tutors and learners, we must understand one principle clearly: delay is the enemy of growth. The...

【日本の日常 #03】猫の日｜ JP/EN/繁中

2月22日は「猫の日」です。理由はとても日本らしいもの。数字の「2」を「にゃん」と読む語呂合わせから、「にゃん・にゃん・にゃん」で猫の日になりました。日本では、数字の読み方を使った語呂合わせがよく見...

【湘南ライフ #03】700年以上続くメンテナンス｜JP/EN/繫中

鎌倉のシンボルである「鎌倉大仏」。この大仏様がなぜ外にいるのか、ご存知でしょうか？もともとは立派な「大仏殿（建物）」の中に安置されていました。しかし、14世紀と15世紀に相次いだ台風や大津波によって...

Why Singing Is the Best Way to Fix Your Accent

Why are you studying English?

We often feel anxiety when we are learning something new. When you are a beginner at a new language...

学中文也能很有年味--马年大吉

??马年到！你知道这些“马”成语吗？ 说到马，你会想到什么？速度、冲劲、好运、一路向前。 在中文里，“马”也常出现在祝福语和成语里——短短四个字，气势拉满、寓意满分。 今年是马年，一起把这些高频“马...

Canada at the Winter Olympics: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Photo: Canadian men's curling teamThe 2026 Winter Olympic Games have wrapped up, and Team Canada wa...

Daily English Upgrade #029: Business Skill — Summarize + confirm action items

This makes you sound professional (and prevents mistakes). Useful phrases: Just to summarize, … So ...

Daily English Upgrade #030: Say It Better — “Thank you” (natural, strong versions)

“Thank you” is great. These upgrades sound warmer and more natural. Simple upgrades: Thanks, I appr...

【台湾旅行 #00】はじまり｜ JP/EN/繁中

3月の終わりごろ、3泊4日で台湾に行くことになりました。   今回の旅行は、主人の勤続20周年のお祝いです。 家族でその節目をお祝いできたらと思い、台湾へ行くことにしました。   今回は台北から入り...

Preparing for an Online Lesson (especially if you're nervous!)

I've had a number of people tell me they get nervous before their first session with a new teacher,...

The Real Reason You’re Afraid to Speak English

Many English learners believe they are afraid to speak because their grammar is not perfect. But in...

The Pharaonic system….....to flee its captivity

The video discusses the concept of a "Pharaonic system" of governance, defining it as any autocrati...

Happy Birthday to me!

It's my birthday!   No, not my actual birthday...unfortunately that falls in late December ;-)   It...

中国の春節

中国の春節（旧正月）について中国の春節は、日本の正月のように家族で過ごす大切な祝日です。大晦日には「餃子」を食べたり、「春聯（赤いおめでたい飾り）」を貼って新年を迎えます。子供たちは「紅包（ホンバオ...

Do you have questions? Tutors are here to help!

We can sometimes feel shy when working with a tutor.  However, our tutors are here to help!  They l...

Questions You Should Never Be Afraid to Ask Your Tutor

After nearly 13 years teaching Business English, I’ve noticed something interesting. The students w...

Feeling inadequate is not a verdict. It is a phase.

The problem is not the feeling — it’s the conclusion we attach to it. Inadequacy often whispers: “Y...

Spring flowers

Walking in my local park recently has been a real pleasure because the spring bulbs are really bloo...

Tarot: A.I. versus Human

Can AI read tarot accurately? Yes. Somewhat. Is it better than a human? It depends on how deeply y...