{"podcast":{"title":"Teacher Talking Time","slug":"teacher-talking-time-954571","podcast_index_feed_id":954571,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/teachertalkingtime/feed.xml","website_url":"https://teachertalkingtime.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/4172357/Black_Minimalist_Business_Instagram_Profile_Picture91h65.png","author":"teachertalkingtime","episode_count":100,"summary":"Teacher Talking Time is a podcast for language teachers who want more: more clarity, more autonomy, and more lasting impact, both inside and outside the classroom. Hosted by Leo and Andrew of Learn YOUR English, each episode features thoughtful, in-depth conversations with the educators, researchers, and teacherpreneurs shaping the future of language education. Guests have included Scott Thornbury, Bill VanPatten, David Little, Jennifer Jenkins, John Levis, Angelica Galante, Sarah Mercer, Enrica Piccardo, Claudia Fernández, Shawn Loewen, Paul Nation, Sheila Thorn, and many more. From the latest in second language acquisition research to honest stories of teachers building lives and businesses on their own terms, every conversation invites you to think deeper, teach more intentionally, and take charge of your professional path. We release two episodes each month - with full video versions on YouTube - to help you reflect, stay inspired, and grow as a teacher and changemaker. Subscribe, listen, and join a global community of educators leading with intention.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-14T18:17:59.495460+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/teacher-talking-time-954571"},"episode":{"title":"Inside the Black Box: What Actually Happens When Learners Communicate using TBLT? - Jonathan Newton","slug":"inside-the-black-box-what-actually-happens-when-learners-communicate-using-tblt-jonathan-newton","published_at":"2026-05-20T01:43:34+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/teacher-talking-time-954571/inside-the-black-box-what-actually-happens-when-learners-communicate-using-tblt-jonathan-newton","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/teacher-talking-time-954571","url":"https://teachertalkingtime.podbean.com/e/inside-the-black-box-what-actually-happens-when-learners-communicate-using-tblt-jonathan-newton/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/mixdqkt4bpaqxeq3/Jonathan_Newton_Spotify_Final7sjsy.mp3","summary":"\"Choice generates agency, agency generates engagement, and engagement is where learning begins. If you aren’t ‘falling over’ as a teacher, you probably aren't pushing yourself or your learners to take ownership of the language.\" We sit down with the esteemed Professor Jonathan Newton. Jonathan is an Associate Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, where he leads postgraduate programs in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. With over 30 years of experience, his work focuses on the \"black box\" of classroom interaction and how task-based language teaching (TBLT) can foster learner agency and ownership. He has published over 80 articles and several seminal books on classroom interaction and task-based pedagogy. In this episode, we discuss: The \"Black Box\" of communication: understanding the actual mechanism that explains how learning occurs during interaction. The power of choice: why giving learners agency is the most direct path to motivation and ownership. Unlearning the security blanket: moving beyond rigid PPP formulas to embrace the \"falling forward\" of real teaching. The \"Magoo\" (MG-O-O) criteria: a simple heuristic for tweaking textbook activities to strengthen meaning, gaps, and outcomes. Tasks for absolute beginners: why input-based tasks are the perfect entry point for learners with zero English. Negotiation for meaning: measuring the tangible acquisition of vocabulary through group-work interaction. The \"Atlas Complex\" in teaching: letting go of the burden of being the sole source of authority in the classroom. The desk as the enemy: how small physical shifts in the classroom can reignite learner engagement. *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube. FOR MORE FROM JONATHAN NEWTON: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Visit his website OUR PARTNER: FLUENTIZE Want to t…","meta_description":"\"Choice generates agency, agency generates engagement, and engagement is where learning begins. If you aren’t ‘falling over’ as a teacher, you probably ar…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":5283,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/teacher-talking-time-954571/episodes/inside-the-black-box-what-actually-happens-when-learners-communicate-using-tblt-jonathan-newton/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/teacher-talking-time-954571/inside-the-black-box-what-actually-happens-when-learners-communicate-using-tblt-jonathan-newton.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}