Professional development
Professional development is vital for all. TeachingEnglish supports your growth in English language teaching, whether you are a teacher, teacher educator, academic manager, researcher or materials writer.
Here you will find free, self-access, online training and resources designed to develop the skills and knowledge you need as an English language professional.
Our professional development resources are organised by audience (teachers or teacher educators), professional practices and professional development level. The professional practices and professional development levels align with the British Council’s Continuing Professional Development Frameworks for teachers and teacher educators. These two unique frameworks, and the professional practices within them, address the skills and knowledge English language professionals need in their day-to-day working lives and throughout their careers.
Course
Understanding
9–12 hours
9–12 hours
Planning lessons and courses
Knowing the subject
TeachingEnglish: How to teach speaking
Develop your understanding of speaking skills and explore teaching techniques and activities that promote oral communication in the classroom for a range of ages and levels. Enrolment for How to teach speaking is closed. Find resources connected to the course contents on this page, and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on when our courses open.
Course
Engagement
9–12 hours
9–12 hours
Planning lessons and courses
Knowing the subject
TeachingEnglish: How to teach grammar
Discover how to help your learners notice, make sense of and become more confident using grammar, with engaging, meaning-focused teaching. Enrolment for How to teach grammar is closed. Find resources connected to the course contents on this page, and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on when our courses open.
Understanding my learners
Managing the lesson
Understanding my professional identity
Helping our learners develop – mini-event
Watch the videos of three practical sessions focusing on vital skills for learner well-being in school, work and life.
Using digital technologies
Pathways: AI in language teaching
Use this ready-made pathway of resources to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to effectively integrate AI into your teaching.
Course
Understanding
9–12 hours
9–12 hours
Planning lessons and courses
Understanding my learners
TeachingEnglish: Motivating learners
Get learners actively involved in your lessons with effective, engaging learning activities they want to do. Enrolment for Motivating learners is closed. Find resources connected to the course contents on this page, and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on when our courses open.
Pathways: Understanding my professional identity
This ready-made pathway of resources will help you take charge of your professional development and advance your career as an English teacher.
Article
Understanding my learners
Knowing the subject
The truth behind learning styles
Did you know that learning styles theory is a myth, according to research?
Article
Knowing the subject
Form focus and recycling: getting grammar
In my last article, Reading for Information: Motivating learners to read efficiently, I referred to four stages in a task-based reading lesson.
Article
Knowing the subject
Techniques for priming and recycling
A four stage methodology for reading.
In Reading for Information, and Form focus and recycling, I have proposed a four stage methodology for teaching reading.
Article
Knowing the subject
Techniques for form focus after reading
In my last article, Reading for Information: Motivating learners to read efficiently, I referred to four stages in a task-based reading lesson