Professional development for teachers
Here you’ll find a wide range of free, self-access training and resources designed to help you build the skills and knowledge you need as an English teacher.
All TeachingEnglish professional development resources are aligned with the British Council Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for teachers, to help you plan your learning and develop the areas most relevant to your professional growth.
You can explore resources in a way that suits your goals:
- by professional practices – to focus on specific areas of teaching where you want to deepen your skills and expertise
- by professional development levels – to find resources matched to your training and experience and see how they can help you progress within each area.
Each resource includes a timer icon to show how much time you’ll need, helping you plan your learning effectively.
Planning lessons and courses
Understanding my learners
Managing the lesson
ASEAN TeachingEnglish online conference 2026
Join teachers across East Asia from 19-30 October to discover practical ideas, inclusive approaches and fresh inspiration for English language teaching.
Webinar
Understanding my professional identity
Understanding your professional identity – webinars
Join us on Friday 23 October 2026 for two inspiring webinars on English teacher well-being and professional development ideas.
Knowing the subject
Pathways: Introduction to teaching reading skills
Develop your understanding of teaching reading skills and learn some classroom strategies that will support and motivate your learners to read. This new-format pathway includes interactive activities, discussion and a completion certificate.
Webinar
Call for webinar speakers 2027
We’re looking for talented classroom practitioners from all over the world to give live webinars in 2027! If you’re a great speaker with innovative ideas for teaching English or supporting teacher educators, find out how to apply here.
Course
Understanding my learners
Understanding my professional identity
Understanding my context
TeachingEnglish: Classroom research
Discover how to reflect on and explore issues in your teaching context, plan and carry out a small-scale classroom research project and communicate your findings effectively.
Course
Understanding my professional identity
Understanding my context
TeachingEnglish: Focus on professional development
Course
Knowing the subject
Using 21C skills or core skills
TeachingEnglish: Building understanding through dialogue
Create positive relationships and effective communication in your classroom by exploring techniques to develop empathy, critical thinking and intercultural competence.
Article
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for teachers
Our CPD Framework for teachers outlines 11 professional practices in English language teaching. The framework supports teachers to identify and develop the knowledge and skills they need in their context.
Course
Planning lessons and courses
Understanding my learners
Understanding my context
TeachingEnglish: How to adapt resources
Learn how to evaluate resources, select and adapt relevant lesson plans for your context and explore how your learners can be powerful resources in the classroom.
Course
Understanding my learners
Managing the lesson
Using inclusive practices
Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners
Make your classroom a trauma-sensitive learning environment. Help your learners to shine by working creatively with limited resources and by managing challenging behaviour positively.