A woman wearing a hijab reading working on a laptop and smiling

Articles

Read articles written by expert teachers and English language professionals about a wide range of current English language teaching topics and issues. All of our articles feature ideas and suggestions about how you can develop your teaching and bring new ideas into your English language classroom.

a female teacher laughing with her young learners while looking at a laptop in the classroom

Assessment for learning

This article looks at the origin of assessment for learning or formative assessment, its principles and benefits and how it compares to assessment of learning.

Planning lessons and courses
Knowing the subject
Assessing learning
An elderly black man relaxing on a sofa and smiling

How to maximise the language learning of senior learners

There are many benefits of studying for older learners, such as increased self-confidence, increased feelings of health and well-being, reduced feelings of isolation, and increased engagement in the community. 

Understanding my learners
large group of African primary children raising their hands in class

Programme 1: Working with a big class

Classroom management can be challenging with large classes. This radio programme explores how you can turn the challenges into opportunities.

Managing the lesson
Knowing the subject
group of African primary children playing a game with their teacher

Programme 2: Games in the classroom

In this programme we hear some examples of games, including a kind of bingo game for vocabulary revision, a version of ‘Who am I?' with only ‘yes/no’ answers, a spelling game called ‘last letter/first letter', a team game with a paper ball for young children, and ‘Alibi’ where the whole class are the detectives! 

Knowing the subject
teacher demonstrating activity to group of Asian school children

Programme 3: A visit to a vocabulary class

In this programme we visit a vocabulary lesson in Indonesia, where Eka uses a variety of activities to keep her young students fully involved. Sometimes they work as a whole class, sometimes in small groups and sometimes in pairs.  

Knowing the subject
A diverse group of young learners colouring at a table. One is in a wheelchair.

Writing and young learners

In this article, Wendy Arnold and Rosie Anderson explore ideas around developing writing skills with young learners.

Knowing the subject
A teacher presenting a lesson to learners sitting on the floor in front of her

Reading and young learners

In this article, Wendy Arnold and Fiona Malcolm explore why we need to develop reading skills with young learners and offer tips and advice on how we can do it.

Knowing the subject