Webinars for educators
Join our live 5-part webinar series to explore how AI is reshaping the way we teach and assess language learning.
Led by top experts, this series dives into AI innovations and their impact on pedagogy and assessment. We'll address every-day challenges faced by language educators, while providing practical, game-changing solutions to elevate your teaching.
Receive a professional development certificate after every session. Plus, complete the full series to earn a Credly by Pearson digital badge.
A free professional development series for English language educators.
Join us for another year of the Pearson Assessment Teacher Training Academy. The 2025 program aims to give participants an in-depth knowledge of the Pearson assessment portfolio, as well as exploring innovative strategies for tackling challenging question types and integrating AI into your teaching practices.
Earn professional development certificates by completing each training series block. Plus, earn a Credly by Pearson digital badge when you complete at least 7 sessions.
Webinars for HR, talent acquisition and development professionals, people managers and business leaders.
72% of employees say their jobs would be easier if they had better English skills. Yet 2 out of 3 organizations do not invest in workforce language training – despite its potential to improve employee retention, job satisfaction and performance.
In our brand-new webinar series, we explore how integrating English language training and assessments into your talent strategy can power business growth. Are you ready to set your workforce up for success in 2025?
This webinar explores how AI is rapidly changing teachers' roles. What will it mean for you to have access to an accurate dashboard highlighting your students' progress in real-time? Or teaching a group class alongside your digital twin? We'll explore emerging technology trends, sharing practical ways to upskill and stay ahead of technology.
This session examines the challenges of "AI slop" —low-quality, inaccurate content that can hinder learning. While AI can enhance teaching, educators need to ensure materials are accurate, well-structured, and appropriate for learners. Learn strategies to filter out poor content and make AI a reliable teaching tool.
This session explores how AI is revolutionizing lesson planning and reducing teacher workload. It covers the challenges of AI integration in education and introduces a new AI tool for English teachers, aligned with Pearson courses and the GSE. Participants will gain practical insights and an exclusive hands-on preview.
In this session teachers will learn about fostering a growth mindset in your students, encouraging resilience, persistence and a positive attitude toward learning. This session will provide teachers with the tools and strategies to help students embrace challenges and thrive in their language-learning journey.
This session provides techniques for delivering constructive, motivating feedback tailored to individual student needs, fostering ongoing improvement and a positive learning environment. Skilled feedback can boost student performance, engagement and confidence in language skills.
Explore how AI can enhance teaching and learning. This session focuses on practical AI tools to improve engagement, personalize learning and streamline tasks, allowing teachers to concentrate on effective strategies.
Praise in the classroom is a valuable resource that every teacher has in their toolbox. It can encourage struggling students and reward learners who have been studying diligently and working hard on their language skills.
But not all types of praise have the same effect. Let’s take a look at different types of praise and how you can use it to boost your learners’ motivation and self-esteem.
There are three types of praise that teachers commonly engage in - but they’re not all equal and are not all desirable:
So how – and when – should we use these types of praise in the classroom?
The first type of praise – personal praise – should be avoided in the classroom. Research has shown that this type of praise doesn’t have a beneficial effect on motivation.
In fact, praise for intelligence actually has a detrimental effect on student achievement. When students were praised for their intelligence, they tended to care more about their performance goals – the score they achieved on a test, for example. Learning goals, like mastering a new skill, became less important to them.
Moreover, personal praise has been shown to undermine student resilience in the face of failure. Students showed less persistence when it came to challenging tasks and less enjoyment of the challenge. They also performed more poorly than children praised for effort.
Furthermore, when you praise students for their ability, they also tend to see intelligence or aptitude as a fixed trait. However, students who are praised for effort are more likely to see ability as something they can improve on. This feeds into the development of a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset. It’s important to instill a growth mindset in learners to enable them to reach their full potential.
When it comes to praising effort and behavior, what’s the most effective way to do it? Here are some techniques to employ:
General praise such as “Good job” isn’t nearly as effective as a comment that shows you’ve been paying attention to what the student is doing. A precise compliment will make a much bigger impact on a student, for example: “I was really impressed at how hard you concentrated during the listening exercise. Well done.”
Immediate praise doesn’t need to be disruptive, but it shows students that you are paying attention and noticing good behavior and effort.
Instead of saying, “You got the best mark in the class – well done!” say something like, “You got a really high score in the reading test. Your hard work has really paid off this term.”
Before your class, choose three or four students you’re going to praise that day. That way, you can be sure that each and every student will benefit from the motivational power of effective classroom praise!
Young students enjoy being praised publicly, but shy students, older children and teenagers prefer positive feedback to be given quietly.
It’s important to be sincere. Older children, especially adolescents, have an extremely low tolerance of insincerity. So, don’t be tempted to praise students too often, or too effusively – it can actually have a negative impact on your relationship with your whole class. Insincere praise can lead students to question your judgement.
It’s also really important to be aware of your positive bias. Studies have shown that teachers consistently give students of color more positive feedback on their work. It’s done with good intentions, but it can actually be harmful. If you regularly overpraise students for minor achievements, it can imply that you have low expectations for these students. And, this can make your students feel like they might not be capable of fulfilling the high expectations that you should have of them.
So, instead of overpraising, focus on giving specific, immediate praise to motivate your students, boost their self-esteem and unlock their potential.
Find out how to nurture creativity in your learners and this post will tell you how to promote student happiness and wellbeing.
As demographic shifts and technological advancements reshape the global workforce, the gap between the skills people have and the skills they need continues to widen. This "skills chasm" is particularly evident in language learning, where traditional education systems often fail to keep pace with the demands of the modern economy.
With the continuous evolution of AI tools, it has become more critical to incorporate AI into our teaching practices. AI has the transformative power to improve our teaching methods, tailor learning experiences, and increase student engagement.
To give you a taste of our webinar 'Teaching in the age of AI: 7 tips for preparing for an educational evolution'. We'll cover seven tips designed to prepare you for an educational evolution with AI.
The first step in integrating AI into your teaching practice is deciding your approach. Are you an AI methodologist who practices based on theory or an AI experimentalist who develops theory based on practice? Both paths are valid, but it's crucial to choose one to avoid inertia. Understanding AI's basics and experimenting with different tools will help you find your footing.
AI should be seen as a thought partner and assistant, not a replacement. Use AI to enhance your creativity and efficiency. For example, if you're stuck on creating a warm-up activity, ask AI for ideas. Treat AI as a helpful assistant to handle tasks you find time-consuming or less enjoyable, allowing you to focus on what you love about teaching.
Understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is essential. AI learns from the data we provide, so it's crucial to feed it accurate and relevant information. Developing empathy for AI means understanding how it processes information and how to give clear instructions to get the best results.
AI can help cover all aspects of language learning, including:
Move beyond simple substitution and augmentation of tasks with AI. Aim for modification and redefinition of your teaching methods. For instance, use AI to create interactive and personalized learning experiences that were previously unimaginable.
AI offers new teaching possibilities that break away from traditional constraints. Embrace these opportunities to redefine your pedagogy. Think about what is now possible with AI that wasn't before and how you can leverage these capabilities to enhance learning.
Use AI to develop formative assessments that provide continuous feedback. These assessments should help students understand their progress and guide you in improving your teaching strategies. AI can generate rubrics, provide instant feedback, and help track student performance over time.
To help you integrate AI into your teaching practice, here are some practical tips and challenges:
1. Experiment with AI tools: Find tools for creating text, audio, images, and video. Create activities using these tools to see how they can enhance your lessons.
2. Develop custom AI applications: Create custom GPTs for specific tasks, such as generating rubrics or formative assessments.
3. Engage students with AI: Design activities where students use AI to generate content, evaluate AI-generated work, and reflect on their learning process.
4. Focus on formative feedback: Use AI to provide continuous, formative feedback to students, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Integrating AI into your teaching practice is not just about using new tools; it's about transforming your approach to education. By embracing AI, you can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for your students. As you embark on this journey, remember that the goal is to enhance your teaching, not replace it. Embrace the challenges, experiment with new ideas, and let AI help you become the best educator you can be.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of AI in education? Watch our webinar, 'Teaching in the Age of AI: 7 Tips for Preparing for an Educational Evolution'. Discover how AI can augment teaching, personalize learning, and boost engagement. Delve into the AI-first pedagogy, ethical considerations and practical strategies to make your classroom more effective, engaging, and innovative.
