I’ve been teaching English since 2002 and in that time I’ve managed to clock over 25,000 hours in the classroom, working in four countries and in every context from beginner YL to C-suite executives.

I gave my blog the name “teflgeek” because I have always been genuinely interested in getting down to the nitty gritty of what makes the best learning experience for the students, and I enjoy reading what other people have been up to, be it anecdotal narratives of lived experience or the results of larger qualitative research studies, and seeing whether and how I can apply that to my professional practice – whether that’s helping my class prepare for their Cambridge exam, coaching an accountant for a management role, or working with an international publisher.

It basically comes down to the same thing: thinking about language teaching, and helping learners find the most effective and practical way to improve their English.

When I’m not doing any of that, and assuming I’m not at home with the family, you’ll most likely find me up on the hills and peaks of central Portugal, tramping a trail and occasionally taking ill-advised short cuts that look great on the map but…. well, it’s not as much fun if you don’t nearly die at least once per hike!