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In this blog, Distance Cert director and Cert IBET learning mentor Ben Dobbs reflects on a question that we often receive as a learning and development provider. Let’s start by looking at qualifications. A qualification is an official, accredited award that confirms someone has completed a recognised programme of study and met externally set standards. A qualification is wide and covers a field or discipline. A qualification is regulated in some way and is awarded by, for example, an Ofqual-regulated bodies or university. Qualifications may take years to complete. A qualification can also be mapped to a framework such as the UK’s qualification levels. Examples of qualifications in our field being CELTA, DELTA, BA TESOL and so on. Now, let’s turn to certifications. A certification is a proof of competence in a specific skill, method, body of knowledge or tool. As such, the focus is narrow, specific and specialised. It is usually awarded by an organisation (not always an accredited body) after an assessment; this assessment may be an examination or, in our case, an assignment detailing application of learning. It is awarded by any organisation with some form of “authority” in that domain. This may be a professional body, company or training provider. A certification is often short and may take hours, weeks or months to complete. Examples of famous certifications including PMP, Six Sigma and others that are based on an established body of knowledge that is trained and tested. A body of knowledge (BOK) in certification terms is an authoritative or agreed‑upon set of concepts, skills, methods and competencies that a certification is built on. It defines what candidates must know and be able to do to earn (and often maintain) the credential. For example, the PMI’s PMBOK that forms the basis for the PMP examination. Relevant examples of certifications in our industry are short TEFL certificates and the specialised and highly specific certifications that we provide. Based on the above thoughts, I suggest that a simple way of looking at this differentiation is that a qualification says “you have completed a recognised programme and met national standards” while a certification states “you can competently perform this specific skill or method.” Why, then, does this distinction actually matter? Your qualifications help determine baseline teaching ability, pedagogical knowledge and professional level while your certifications help determine specialist skills (such as coaching, technology use or an ESP specialism). As a provider of certifications, what do we do? We design training and development courses which, in our case, are self-directed distance learning programmes based around a body of knowledge and subsequently assessed. Our participants gain insights into the subject area, growth of competence and confidence, new ideas and, perhaps most importantly, proof that they have not only studied a specific competence but have also been assessed on it. What are your thoughts on this differentiation? What qualifications and certifications do you hold?

In this blog post, Distance Cert director and Cert IBET learning mentor Ben Dobbs reflects on a topic that has arisen frequently in his corporate training in recent months, attempts to form clear definitions and looks at language needed for discussing digitalisation and digital transformation. One of the greatest abilities of a trainer, teacher or coach is the capacity to learn from our course participants and coachees. For me, one of the biggest learning experiences of recent months has been acquiring knowledge and insights from course participants and coachees on training programmes in the GCC and elsewhere on the subjects of digitalisation, digitisation and digital transformation and how these compare and contrast. Digitalisation (or “digitalization” depending on your persuasion) and digital transformation come up constantly in my corporate training courses on leadership, strategy and change management; they’re also just as common in coaching sessions in which executive level coachees wish to formulate action plans and strategies for the same or coachees at other levels voice their enthusiasm or concern for the same. If trainees or coachees wish to discuss these subjects in their real working roles as well as in training or coaching, this makes these topics directly relevant to us as Business English professionals. For Business English teachers, these terms aren’t just buzzwords or LinkedIn “cringe”; they’re essential lexis for helping learners participate confidently in modern workplace conversations. As such, I have decided to jot down my thoughts on the subject here. This is not intended as a definitive guide and you may agree or disagree (or I may be wrong entirely!). Digitalisation and digital transformation are often used interchangeably but, to me, they describe two very different levels of organisational change: Digitalisation: doing the same things but digitally in terms of processes in order to improve or optimise them Digital transformation: rethinking, transforming and reinventing the business itself through digital technologies Another similar (or at least similar-sounding) item to add to our confusion is “digitisation” which is simply about converting physical information into digital forms. Apparently, this is more than just scanning documents as the digitised form must be usable, searchable and, potentially, editable. Typical and clear, if somewhat bland, examples being the following in which processes are not being redesigned as the core process remains the same: A logistics company moves from paper delivery notes to a mobile app. HR replaces manual timesheets with an automated attendance system. A school scans paper records into a cloud-based database. There must be digitisation (conversion of data) before digtalisation (improvement of processes)! Here are some examples of digitalisation based on real-life discussions with coachees or course participants: The logistics division of a Saudi FMCG company uses real‑time GPS tracking to optimise delivery routes An online retailer uses customer‑data analytics to personalise marketing and automate recommendations A hospital uses digital patient records to trigger automated reminders, alerts and treatment pathways In the first example, the process is redesigned using live data → faster routes, lower fuel costs, automated decisions; in our own field, we could say this is like using learning‑analytics dashboards to adjust teaching based on student performance. In the second, data was used to create new value and targeted experiences in the same way we may produce personalised vocabulary lists generated from learner errors. In the third example, the system changes behaviour and workflow rather than just storage in the same way an LMS might send automated feedback or progress alerts to learners. Digital transformation is a strategic, organisation‑wide shift. It uses digital tools to redesign value creation, customer experience, culture, and business models. Some examples I have recently encountered being the following (quotation marks being added based on my recall of what was said rather than my own words): A retailer moves from physical stores to an “omnichannel e‑commerce ecosystem”. A manufacturer uses “IoT sensors and predictive analytics” to redesign operations. A training company shifts from classroom delivery to a “subscription‑based digital learning offering”. Each of the above involves a fundamental shift in business model and how value is created and requires strong change management and change leadership to the extent that these can be labelled as transformative. In the first example. It became evident the entire business model changed with new channels, new logistics, new customer journeys and new revenue streams. In the second, though the technical aspects were somewhat lost on me (or perhaps underappreciated), operations were being re‑engineered around real‑time data, automation and predictive decision‑making. In the third, there was a shift in the organisation’s business model (to subscriptions), delivery model (to digital) and value proposition (to continuous learning). At this point, let’s get to our core concern which is arguable language over semantics. Some useful items to teach or pre-teach depending on task being the following: Digitalisation / digitalise Digital transformation Digitisation / digitise Automation / automate Integration / integrate Some relevant technology and tools being: Cloud computing AI and machine learning (including training AI) Data analytics IoT (Internet of Things) Cybersecurity Robotic process automation Some useful verbs for this context which, to me, occur which a high level of frequency when discussing these topics are: Drive [change / transformation] Implement [a new platform] Streamline [workflows] Enhance [customer experience] Utilise / leverage [data insights] Modernise [legacy systems] Shift [to a digital first model) Retrofit [an office] Digitise [data] Automate [processes] Anchor [changes] Overcome [resistance] Integrate [technology tools] These topics also demand the use of a good deal of functional language; input may also be necessary for purposes including the following: Explaining a process (“This system allows us to…”) Describing benefits (“The main advantage is…”) Discussing challenges (“One of the barriers we face is…”) Making recommendations (“I’d suggest prioritising…”) Presenting a plan (“In phase one, we will focus on…”) As Business English trainers, we can use these subjects as carriers for the language of technological change and transformation, talking about processes, comparing old and new systems, proposing or justifying changes, outlining plans, making recommendations and more. Alternatively, these may be subject areas or themes in their own right. In terms of methodologies for using digitalisation and digital transformation as themes in Business English training, case study analysis of best practice cases or reading texts such as articles works nicely while roleplays, simulations or projects can be easily created on these topics using the teacher’s ideas or suitable AI prompts (be cautious with AI as it may treat these terms as synonymous). Has this come up in your Business English training, recently? Do you agree with the definitions I have synthesised above?

In this blog post, Distance Cert director and Cert IBET learning mentor Ben Dobbs reflects on a LinkedIn comment regarding best practice in the "any questions?" stage of conference talks and voices some of his personal frustrations as a conference speaker and audience member. If you follow our blog, you may remember I was a big fan of Feruz Akbarov’s The Art of Teaching when I reviewed it back in November 2025. As such, I have followed Feruz’s posts on LinkedIn, typically related to his conference experiences and reflections, with some interest. One recent post from Feruz caught my attention linked to his participation in the highly recommended Asia TEFL Conference recently held in Xian, China: One thing I noticed was that many of the questions I asked seemed to genuinely intrigue both the speakers and the participants, often leading to engaging and thought-provoking discussions. The depth, relevance, practicality, and critical nature of these questions frequently sparked further reflection and enriched the conversations beyond the original presentations. This got me thinking as to what makes a question at a conference effective. After some reflection and drawing on my personal experiences as a conference speaker and perhaps more importantly as an attendee at events such as IATEFL's Annual Conference, BESIG events, ELT Ireland talks and many more, I came to the following conclusions: 1. The obvious, yet seemingly rarely followed, lesson about conference questions: The post uses the word “question” and conference questions should be just that – questions! A good question is not an audience member’s anecdote or an attempt to elicit the speaker’s approval. This is a huge personal frustration of mine as both a speaker and an audience member. Standing there as a speaker or sitting there as an audience member while someone reels off a story with no desire to obtain information, insight or ideas from the speaker serves no use to anyone. Sadly, this is seen at in-person conferences as well as online when the chat box becomes filled with a long screed with no question at all. 2. Effective conference questions are not “gotcha” moments: If there is something erroneous in the speaker’s talk or something that an audience member wildly disagrees with, then they should ask for the speaker’s view rather than making a statement. There is a difference between engagement and criticality on the one hand and trying to expose real or perceived flaws on the other. Appropriate diplomacy and hedging should be used here. 3. Conference questions are asked at the right time: A speaker, whether they are speaking at a conference or in a business context, should give their question policy at the start; typically, this will be: • The speaker will take questions at the end • The speaker will pause for questions at intervals (sensible for long, multi‑stage presentations) • The speaker is happy for the audience to interrupt for discussion As audience members, we should respect this. Again, this is a simple lesson that is frequently ignored. 4. Conference questions must be relevant and not for the sake of questioning: Some conference audiences will, for whatever reason, be quiet. This may be because a speaker has covered everything required and pitched their session at the right level; it may be cultural, in that the audience are silent rather than active listeners; or it may be something else. Any and all questions should maintain relevance and not just be there to fill the silence. Speaker should remember that there is a world of difference between silence and negative feedback. 5. Conference questions should be concise: “Concise” does not mean “short”, nor does it mean that any details are omitted; it means getting on with asking the question. A good question is not padded, waffling or rambling, nor does the asker feel the need to paraphrase or repeat themselves in pursuit of a reaction. 6. Conference questions should enhance the teaching practice of the asker, those in the audience or the speaker themselves: Questions should mean something to the asker, who should be asking with the intention of enhancing their own teaching practice, growing their knowledge or seeking information. Good questions at a conference strengthen the understanding and capabilities of the asker, the speaker and others in the audience. Broadly speaking, good‑quality conference questions get us all thinking. 7. Conference questions should obtain the speaker’s opinion or expertise on something: The lesson here for anyone seeking to ask a question is to let the speaker give their view or opinion and not to expect the asker’s opinion to come from the speaker’s mouth. If debate is required and time is available, pursue it but not to the detriment of others wishing to ask questions. Any speaker enthusiastic about their subject matter will be happy to discuss later. 8. Conference questions are open but targeted: Questions that are too vague get vague answers or lead a speaker to try and guess what an asker wants; similarly, closed questions beginning with phrases such as “don’t you think …” deserve a closed answer. Good conference questions, like good coaching questions, are open and targeted, using phrasing such as “what would you say to …”, “what is your view on …” and so on. What are your thoughts and experiences of conference questions? Is there anything I have missed?

In this blog post, Distance Cert director and Cert IBET learning mentor Ben Dobbs reflects on a LinkedIn comment regarding what should be covered on initial teacher training course but isn't. Here, Ben offers some ideas and potential, if somewhat idealised, solutions and mitigation strategies. In response to one of our recent posts on LinkedIn asking what teachers believe should be covered on courses such as CELTA but isn’t, Kaohsiung-based English Language Instructor Martin Cooke offered the following observation: How to teach mixed ability groups. When I did the CELTA, the students were all grouped at roughly the same level but that's actually rare in many contexts. A good challenge for a new teacher would be to see how they work with groups where some learners speak near-zero English while others are highly fluent. Martin’s comment is spot on and has had me thinking over the past few weeks since; if we reflect our own experiences as teachers, whatever our context, this would be very difficult to dispute. Walk into almost any English language classroom around the world and you’ll encounter, at some point, the ominous mixed-level group! One learner races through tasks, another struggles with basic structures and several sit somewhere in the middle. Mixed-level classes are the norm rather than the exception, yet they remain one of the most challenging teaching contexts for TEFL professionals; however, the subject is never, to my knowledge, trained on initial teacher training courses. What can be done in these contexts? To me, understanding why they are difficult is the first step while knowing how to work with them effectively is what transforms frustration into progress. It is also worth admitting to ourselves as teachers and trainers that there is never going to be a perfect or ideal solution to mixed-level classes; of course, the more extreme the difference, the greater the difficulties become. Mixed‑level classes stretch a teacher’s planning, monitoring and differentiation skills more than almost any other teaching situation. The core difficulty lies in the uneven distribution of language knowledge, confidence, processing speed and learning behaviours. Stronger learners may dominate discussions, finish tasks early, or become bored if the pace feels slow. Weaker learners, meanwhile, can feel overwhelmed, anxious or left behind. This imbalance affects not only language outcomes but also classroom dynamics, motivation and the teacher’s ability to maintain a coherent lesson flow. This can also affect the motivation and confidence of the teachers. We can be optimistic and say that mixed‑level classes also offer unique opportunities. When managed well and presuming the culture and systems allow, they create good conditions for peer support, authentic communication and collaborative learning. We could say that level differences are a key area of classroom diversity and a diverse team with differences managed and utilised is always going to outperform a homogenous team or one that attempts to remove these differences. The key is not to “fix” the level differences (that is very likely impossible) but to design lessons that, at least on paper, embrace them. One of the most effective strategies is tiered task design, where all students work with the same theme or skill but at different levels of complexity. For example, in a lesson on giving opinions, beginners might use sentence frames (“I think… because…”), while advanced learners develop extended arguments or evaluate multiple viewpoints. Everyone participates but no one is held back. There is a big “however” and that is the politics that this can create as to who is in which group and how personal pride is, if at all, affected. Another powerful approach is flexible grouping. Rather than keeping students in fixed pairs or teams, vary the grouping depending on the task. Homogeneous groups allow weaker learners to work at a manageable pace and stronger learners to stretch themselves. Heterogeneous / diverse groups encourage peer teaching, modelling and natural scaffolding. Open‑ended tasks are also a teacher’s friend in mixed‑level settings. Activities such as discussions, problem‑solving tasks, role‑plays, simulations and project work allow learners to contribute at their own linguistic level and for learners to collaborate and support each other presuming the culture is supportive and not overtly competitive. Because there is no single “correct” answer, students can personalise the language, negotiate meaning and push themselves without feeling exposed. This reduces anxiety for weaker learners and increases challenge for stronger ones. This needs to be supported by frequent and positive affirmative teacher feedback about collaboration, support and other critical success factors beyond only language skills and systems. Classroom management also plays a crucial role in mixed level classrooms. Clear instructions, visible task stages, and predictable routines help weaker learners stay oriented. Early finishers need meaningful extension tasks as opposed to “busy work”, such as adding detail, improving accuracy, developing the graphical aspects of a presentation or preparing to report back. Meanwhile, the teacher’s monitoring becomes strategic: offering targeted support to those who need it while nudging stronger learners toward greater complexity and autonomy. Finally, mindset matters. Mixed‑level classes become far more manageable when teachers shift from a “one pace for all” mentality to a “multiple pathways to success” approach. Differences in the pace of progress are, as we know, the reality of language acquisition. Though no plan survives the collision with reality of a dynamic classroom, when lessons are designed with flexibility, choice and layered challenges, mixed‑level groups can stop feeling like a compromise and start functioning as dynamic, collaborative learning communities. Mixed‑level classes will always require more planning and more responsiveness in the moment. But with thoughtful task design, purposeful grouping and a supportive classroom culture, they can produce some of the richest learning experiences for teachers and learners. What are your tips and tricks for managing mixed level classes?

In this blog, Distance Cert director and Cert IBET learning mentor Ben Dobbs looks at seven "laws" that guide productivity and performance in the workplace. On a recent KPI and Goal Setting course in Saudi Arabia, I made reference to "Goodhart's Law" as a warning about the dangers of treating KPIs (i..e things we measure to monitor progress and inform decisions) as targets (i.e. numbers to aim for or exceed) when a course participant asked me how many of these laws there are that are named after people. This got me thinking and prompted a review of several bits of course material in areas including performance measurement, time management and more. These “laws” are informal principles that offer guidance and insight into human behaviour, productivity, time management and decision-making. They are often used in academic, professional and everyday contexts to explain why things go wrong, take longer or require caution. These are valuable to students, project managers and others as well as anyone who needs to solve workplace problems, plan activities or measure performance of teams or organisations.   Here, we look at seven of these laws in no particular order and will treat anything from physics, chemistry and so on as outside the scope of this blog:   Law 1 - Parkinson’s Law: In a phrase: “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” Meaning: Tasks and projects may take longer than necessary if given excessive time, leading to inefficiencies and reduced productivity. Without conscious effort, there will be maximum effort at the start of a project or task before a lull in activity occurs and then hectic and panicked action before any deadline. Example: A report due in two weeks takes the full two weeks to complete, even though it could have been done in three days.   Law 2 - Goodhart’s Law:       In a phrase: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”        Meaning: If employees are judged only on sales numbers, they may push short term deals that harm long term relationships. This means that once people know they are being judged by a specific metric, they often change their behaviour to meet the metric, sometimes at the expense of the actual goal. Example:  A company wants to improve customer service, so it sets a target that all calls to their helpline must be answered within two minutes. As a result, employees rush to pick up calls quickly but then transfer customers or end calls prematurely to meet the time target. Fast call answering is achieved, but overall customer satisfaction drops because the real goal, quality service. is undermined.   Law 3 - Wilson’s Law: In a phrase: “If you prioritise knowledge and intelligence, money will follow.” Meaning: Success is best achieved by investing in knowledge and continuous improvement, rather than chasing money directly. By becoming more skilled, informed and intelligent, you increase your value in any workplace or market. While some “laws” (like Murphy’s or Parkinson’s) highlight problems, Wilson’s Law is optimistic as it emphasises growth and long‑term payoff. Example: An employee takes advanced courses in data analytics. Within a year, they are promoted to lead projects and their salary increases.   Law 4 - Falkland’s Law: In a phrase: “If you don’t have to make a decision, don’t make one.” Meaning: Unnecessary decisions should be avoided; sometimes the wisest course of action is inaction. Often (but not always) waiting until more information is available, a situation becomes more settled or until a decision is truly necessary. Premature decisions can create problems that might never have arisen otherwise. Example: A department head delays choosing a new vendor until the budget is finalised, avoiding premature commitments.   Law 5 - Murphy’s Law: In a phrase: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” Meaning: In planning, for example in product development, there is a chance of error or failure, it is wise to assume it will happen and plan accordingly. This is not about pessimism but about risk awareness and building safeguards to prevent issues arising later. Example: A team schedules a product launch without a backup plan and the server crashes on launch day.   Law 6 - Kidlin’s Law: In a phrase: “If you can write the problem clearly, you’ve solved half of it.” Meaning: Clarity is the foundation of problem‑solving. When you take the time to define an issue precisely, the solution often becomes obvious or at least easier to find. Many problems feel overwhelming because they are vague. Writing them down forces structure, focus and better understanding through reducing ambiguity. Example:  A team struggles with missed deadlines. Once the manager writes down the problem as “We lack a clear timeline with assigned responsibilities”, the solution (in this case, create a project schedule with task owners) becomes clear.   Law 7 - Gilbert’s Law: In a phrase: “The biggest problem in work is that no one tells you what to do or how to do it.” Meaning: When you take on a task, finding the best ways to achieve the desired result is always your responsibility.  This tells us that success depends on us being proactive and accountable as well as resilient when faced with challenges. Example: A team member notices tasks piling up. Instead of letting the problems grow, they take the initiative and create a shared task tracker so colleagues can coordinate without waiting for instructions.   Conclusions: These “laws” encourage realistic planning and contingency thinking. They promote efficient time management and task prioritisation while supporting problem-solving clarity and strategic patience. They also reinforce the value and importance of training, learning, proactive behaviour and preparation.

Ben reviews Feruz Akbarov’s The Art of Teaching  in which he finds lessons for us all.     Feruz Akbarov’s The Art of Teaching is in two concise parts. The first section focuses, ostensibly, on the author’s own experiences, reflections and the wider implications and learning experiences drawn from these for himself and all teachers. This covers areas including but in no way limited to themes such as teaching philosophies, intercultural communication, the role of technology, textbooks, feedback and feedforward, storytelling, innovation, mindset and more. The second section looks to the future discussing AI, its relationship to the teacher and inability to replace teachers, the potential for AR and VR to transform learning environments and strategies for AI inclusion.   Feruz has written a book that is rich in conceptual metaphor – Feruz talks of teaching as a living thing, of his own publication as a mirror, of the mistakes we make as being milestones in our journeys as teachers, the classroom as an artist’s canvas and, of course, teaching as an art form.   Feruz also demonstrates strong intercultural intelligence that he has grown through his experiences in Poland, China and beyond. This experience, as evidenced in The Art of Teaching  has often been hard won as Feruz himself highlights. He also shows himself to be a teacher with purpose who takes a human-focused approach to teaching. The Art of Teaching  attests to a teacher with high emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal skills and capacity to co-create productive cultures in classrooms.   Feruz’s book is packed with lessons and learning experiences and is supported by a clear structure, arrangement and frequent summary statements that make the book infinitely accessible. This is not a book for the cynical, for those who need to be told what to do or how to think, those without the capability to reflect on their own performance or to learn from their own mistakes or errors as teachers. This is not a manual. Instead, The Art of Teaching encourages us as teachers to reflect; reading this book, you will find yourself harking back to your own memories as a teacher - be they successes or failures – and will find yourself emotionally invested in the text.   The Art of Teaching  is a book written by an artisan dedicated to his craft – it is unpretentious, accessible and inspiring. It is the type of book that demands engagement and any reader will surely find themselves underlining passages that are useful, rousing, pertinent or that simply sound pleasing to the reader. Any reader is likely to finish the book in one sitting then read it again - a worthwhile activity as anyone will find new content and ideas with each reading. Clearly, publications like this are something the English teaching profession desperately needs and, as such, it comes highly recommended.   The Art of Teaching is available on Amazon . You can also follow Feruz on LinkedIn and YouTube .

Browsing through LinkedIn this morning, I came across a post shared by a friend of mine about AI use in Education. I could get onboard with the original author's premise that AI tools need to be applied in support of long-overdue shifts necessary in the British school system. She listed 4 "practical first steps" in order to rebuild education within this new AI-world order. Her post could be seen as an awareness-raising piece with a call to action. This link takes you to the post . Underneath this shared post, there was an exchange between my friend and another colleague. From the colleague's vehement (aggressive?) response to my friend's posting of the piece, I got the sense of someone completely disillusioned with "education" and the "system". Again, something with which I suspect many educators can relate. We have collectively been shouting into the wind for generations. I can understand why teachers are upset / angry with how poorly education is often delivered in many places. Based on the colleague's claim that the "i ncentive and ability to think critically (objectively analyze and evaluate a situation in order to make a judgement) was systematically destroyed in public school", I suspect this is probably a criticism levelled at a North American education system rather than uniformly all education systems around the globe. (Although, I was recently bemoaning a similar state of affairs with my colleague about our first year business students at the university where we teach in Austria...). As someone who strives constantly to encourage critical reflection and questioning (of me as well as material we might be reading), I did feel such a sweeping statement somewhat blinkered. But then when we're enraged by a system we feel powerless to change, we are more likely to think in black and white, forgetting nuance, shades of grey and exceptions. The saddest part of being so insensed is that we lose sight of the little pearls of hope; the examples of those actually striving to make a difference in their little corners of the world. A quick search online resulted in stories of where educators are working on making a difference: Education News posted about educators from around the world on Jan. 9, 2025: 16 Inspiring Stories of Educators Making a Difference. Global Citizen posted in March, 2017 about 10 Inspirational Teachers who are Transforming Education . In the UK, Nesta is "an innovative foundation" which works on "turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better". Reading the webpage through a "critical lens", one could dismiss its claims as political smoke and mirrors; but what about the real people working on the frontline striving to make a difference? They need to be encouraged and thanked for their efforts despite the seeming lack of change at the Macro-level. Not forgetting how much of the world is a state of war at the moment, there are educators in such places working together. This article uses the example of Northern Ireland's Shared Education model applied to the Arab-Jewish societal context within Israel . On a personal level, I have spoken with colleagues who teach in Ukraine; these are exceptional educators who are not only continuing to teach in schools and universities (OECD, July 2025) during a war, they are taking care of each other too: British Council sponsored T eaching and Learning in Difficult Times , specifically for English language teachers in Ukraine. I appreciate how heavy the woes of the world currently lie on many of us, never mind the ongoing systemic education issues, but keeping in mind that " Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt " (hope dies last) helps lift my flagging spirits. Looking for examples of those who are making a difference, no matter how large or small, can remind us to occasionally focus our attention there, rather than on the doom-and-gloom everywhere else.

In this blog, TDCI Associate Trainer and Learning Mentor Seda Yaman discusses the impact of teachers both inside and outside the classroom Teaching is not just a profession; it's a profound act of shaping lives and futures, having the power to ignite curiosity and foster potential in students that lasts a lifetime. Henry B. Adams once said, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” This begs the question: Does a teacher’s mission conclude when the school term ends? Does it fade away once graduation caps are tossed? Absolutely not! The positive impact of a dedicated teacher resonates through time, transcending the confines of the academic calendar. In my view, teaching is a timeless job that is not limited by location or duration. A teacher's role extends far beyond merely delivering curriculum content. Great teachers possess the unique ability to leave a lasting impression on their students' lives. This leads us to consider: How do we define the connection between effective education and the educator? If teachers are the driving force behind successful education, what functions do they serve both inside and outside the classroom? Having taught English as a foreign language across various educational levels for nearly a decade, I would like to delve into the student-teacher relationship and the pivotal role teachers play in fostering effective education. Effective education is characterized by teaching methods and systems that yield meaningful, impactful results for students. It goes beyond simple information transfer; it emphasizes nurturing deep comprehension, critical thought, and the practical application of knowledge. In this process, teachers are essential facilitators of learning. They cultivate a welcoming atmosphere and offer guidance that allows students to acquire new knowledge and skills. As a teacher trainer, I often encounter a common inquiry during my seminars: How can I help children develop new skills? Teachers consistently strive to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities among their students. Understanding that each student possesses unique learning styles, abilities, and needs, they adapt their instructional approaches accordingly, aiming to provide personalized attention that enables every student to reach their fullest potential. In an age dominated by platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where their influence is undeniable, can the role of the teacher still be significant? Given that students spend a substantial portion of their day at school, their observations of teachers profoundly impact their development. Teachers often serve as mentors and role models, inspiring and motivating students while guiding them through their academic and personal journeys. They offer support, encouragement, and insightful advice that help students navigate challenges and pursue their goals. Different age groups present diverse emotional needs, and this is where teachers strive to create balance in the classroom, ensuring that each student receives the attention they require. They play an essential part in fostering the social and emotional growth of their pupils by building a positive, inclusive classroom environment where students feel valued, respected, and secure. By recognizing students' concerns and empathizing with them, teachers cultivate a sense of belonging and camaraderie. They also work to establish connections with parents, guardians, and community members to promote a nurturing educational environment. Teachers are genuine lifelong learners themselves, continuously refreshing their knowledge and skills. They keep pace with developments in their fields and teaching practices, engaging in professional growth opportunities, collaborating with peers, and reflecting on their teaching strategies. In essence, teachers are pivotal in molding their students' minds, attitudes, and futures. They have a significant impact on their students’ intellectual, social, and emotional development, equipping them for success in their academic pursuits and personal lives. The insights shared here merely scratch the surface of what constitutes an effective teacher. The impact a devoted educator can have on their students' lives is truly limitless. To fully fulfill this potential, it's essential to explore what fuels a teacher's intrinsic motivation and sustains their dedication to lifelong learning. This exploration is crucial as we seek to understand how to empower educators so they can continue to inspire and shape the futures of their students. What do you think? Connect with Seda on LinkedIn and share your thoughts.

... is that it does a conference too well. Overwhelmed by choice and input at conference From the week after one conference finishes, the IATEFL team are preparing for the next year's international gathering of amazing, dedicated, open-minded and curious teachers. All the hard work, thoughtfulness and organisation pays off and we get to participate in the annual flurry of talks, workshops, conversations, networking and social activities. What's not to like about hard working teachers taking time out for some CPD, professional stimulation and re-energising, not to mention the sheer joy of reconnecting with friends and colleagues - long-known and newly met. And there's the rub. I have come away with mixed feelings from a wonderful 5 days in Edinburgh (the venue for the 58th IATEFL Annual Conference). I caught up with a number of lovely people, attended a variety of thought-stimulating sessions and will be taking ideas and useful input back to my language department in Linz. But what about all those people I DIDN'T get to see and talk to? What about the invaluable talks I missed? I discovered on the tram back to the airport from a colleague, who I only spoke to at that point, that I had missed the chance to speak to my PhD examiner in person - she had attended my viva via Zoom. I hadn't realised she was at the conference! Then there was the situation on day 1 where I had to choose between 5 different simultaneous talks ! I know this is the eternal conundrum and we each have to make a decision in the hope that we pick the "right" session. I understand that IATEFL is inundated with hundreds (960+ for 2025 I believe) and that teachers willing to put themselves forward should be given the opportunity to step out of comfort zones and give a presentation. (An equally terrifying and rewarding experience for many - certainly in my case!). Conference app dashboard Clearly, one way to manage the overwhelming-ness of the conference is in the planning. Scrutinising the very comprehensive programme in advance is key. The conference app is ideal for keeping track of what you earmark (the "My Agenda" function was great for that!). Or the good old way of highlighting the pull out pages - lugging the whole printed programme around gets very wearing after while, doesn't it! It is definitely a worthwhile thing to do; it costs some time upfront but reduces the cognitive load of constantly thinking of what was I going to see next - and where was it?! The preplanned search I did not do in this case was checking the list of speakers - then I would have seen the name of the person I had missed and had the joy of finally meeting someone I have long admired in person. (I was also keen to talk more about what she remembered from my thesis...). Having been fortunate to have attended a number of IATEFL conferences over the years, I know to pace myself - it is not necessary to attend every single session. Taking a break is hugely beneficial - I took myself for a nostalgic morning walk around town on Wednesday (I spent a delightful 3 months teaching in Edinburgh in 2019). Down time is so important for mental well-being and energy-levels, particularly so for us (social-) introverts. Considering the potential for being overwhelmed, drained of energy and sleep-deprived during such an extensive conference, I can't help but ponder on what a "slow conference" might look like. How to balance the desire to capitalise on the learning and development offered by talks, workshops and all the other formats IATEFL includes with the human need for meaningful connection via unrushed conversations? I guess, ultimately, it is down to me to manage my time and priorities within the wider smorgasbord of delights. I DID have some of those special, personal conversations with a number of people - I also had those tantalising but fleeting exchanges with others as we passed in corridors, hurrying off to the next session on the other side of the venue or dashing to a meeting, or searching for the quiet room to prepare their own talk. Now that I'm home again, my intention is to review notes taken during sessions, revisit those significant conversations and set out goals for how to implement what I have learned during this year's IATEFL conference in the wonderful city of Edinburgh. Despite the problematic aspects, there is so much of benefit to be shared and disseminated beyond the 4-5 days we lucky delegates get to spend with each other.

Sticky problems One thing I was seeking to find out at IATEFL this year was how others are approaching the sticky issues around artificial intelligence (AI) in university language learning settings. In my current job, the problem of how to distinguish genuine student work from an AI produced piece of writing is proving to be a "wicked problem". A wicked problem was originally defined as " a class of social system problems which are ill-formulated, where the information is confusing, where there are many clients and decision makers with conflicting values, and where the ramifications in the whole system are thoroughly confusing’ (Churchman, 1967 , p. B-141 cited in Termeer et Al., 2019). I feel this describes the situation with AI mis-use in the higher education setting at the moment. It is a systemic problem born from an ill-conceived idea that everyone can access a powerful, artificially intelligent tool despite not really understanding how to use it effectively without prejudice, and which institutional leaders have little sense of responsibility for controlling its usage other than to ban it completely. The fact that among the wealth of experienced language teaching professionals none of us can offer a definitive solution to this problem suggests this is a sticky problem that requires further consideration and exploration. I have heard from colleagues who are applying innovative and creative measures to getting students to engage honestly and transparently with AI tools for writing tasks - in particular business English centers teaching students how to produce authentic texts that meet requirements of register and contextual appropriacy. Collectively, the message I am getting is that we need to focus on how to assess the process rather than the product. We need to be taking a hybrid approach and leveraging the AI tools to act as support for language learning and that students need to be curators of the process - constantly questioning, checking and revising not only the AI output but also their own prompt engineering skills. With another day of conference talks to listen to, I shall continue to listen, learn and contemplate how to foster the best learning for my own students with help from AI rather than find ways to prevent learners from delegating their learning tasks to a bot. Reference: Termeer, C. J. A. M., Dewulf, A., & Biesbroek, R. (2019). A critical assessment of the wicked problem concept: relevance and usefulness for policy science and practice. Policy and Society , 38 (2), 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2019.1617971

Forget PowerPoint. Let's Go Analog! This year, I am fortunate to be able to attend the annual iatefl conference thanks to the BESIG facilitator's scholarship. I had thought going to Edinburgh in 2025 was not going to be possible but I decided - at the last minute - to throw my hat into the ring and submit a proposal and application. Previous attempts had not been successful, so I was delighted to be offered the scholarship prize this time. Now the big event is only a few days away and the workshop I am presenting on Thursday 10th April is just about good-to-go. I decided to share an assessment task success story with fellow BESIG-ers which I feel is very timely in the current climate of Gen AI and all things techie and digital. I am going to explore the potential for sometimes returning to an analog way of learning. The workshop - Forget PowerPoint. Let's Go Analog - takes a multimodal approach to a task-based language learning activity. The original drive behind this idea was the need to find a way to assess oral flunecy that was NOT another powerpoint company presentation. After years of observing and grading students' efforts to talk about a well-known company or their favourite CEO, I really wanted to change things up a bit. Capturing the essence of their findings on a single flip chart and then talking through in a less formal, more personal and communicative way was my goal. By the end of the workshop, in which I shall ask my colleagues to reflect on how my ideas might be adapted to their own contexts, I hope to emphasise the benefits of a hands-on, personal and no/low-tech approach to language learning and development. If you want a preview, or if you are stopping by here having attended the workshop in Edinburgh (in room Mentieth at 5:20pm on Thursday 10th April ), here is the handout.

Introduction   If you’ve ever found yourself frantically finishing an assignment, report, proposal, essay or other piece of work minutes before the deadline, you’ve experienced the subtle power of Parkinson’s Law.   This principle, which states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion”. holds particular significance for those embarking on self-directed distance learning journeys like that experience by learners on The Distance Cert IBET. In this blog, we’ll explore the potential effects of Parkinson’s Law on self-paced education and offer strategies to overcome its challenges.   Understanding Parkinson’s Law   British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson first coined Parkinson’s Law in 1955, observing that tasks tend to take up the amount of time allotted to them. This phenomenon can result in procrastination, inefficiencies and a continuous cycle of stress and last-minute rushes. For self-directed learners, who often set their own schedules and deadlines, Parkinson’s Law can become a significant obstacle to productive and effective studying characterised by a mad rush fuelled by enthusiasm at the start of a course and then significant slowing and delays.   The Unique Challenges of Self-Directed Distance Learning   Self-directed distance learning offers unparalleled flexibility and freedom. However, without the structure and accountability of traditional classrooms, students may struggle to manage their time effectively. Here are some ways Parkinson’s Law might affect self-directed learners: 1. Procrastination: Without immediate deadlines or instructor oversight, students might delay starting assignments, believing they have plenty of time. This can lead to a frantic, last-minute scramble to complete tasks, often resulting in lower quality work. 2. Extended task duration:  Tasks that could be completed in a shorter timeframe might take much longer due to a lack of urgency. This can impede progress and reduce overall productivity. 3. Inconsistent study habits:  The flexibility of self-directed learning can lead to inconsistent study patterns. Without a fixed schedule, students may find it challenging to maintain a steady pace, leading to periods of intense work followed by lulls of inactivity. 4. Increased stress:  Constantly working against self-imposed deadlines can create a cycle of stress and anxiety. The pressure to complete tasks on time can become overwhelming, affecting both mental health and academic performance.   Strategies to Combat Parkinson’s Law   To mitigate the effects of Parkinson’s Law and enhance the effectiveness of self-directed distance learning, trainees need to be disciplined with themselves and take proactive steps to monitor their own work and progress.   Some positive strategies would be: 1. Set clear goals and deadlines:  Establish specific, achievable goals and deadlines for each task. 2. Learning chunks: Break your course tasks into smaller, manageable segments with their own deadlines to maintain a steady pace. 3. Create a structured schedule:  Develop a daily, weekly or monthly study schedule that includes dedicated time for your course. Stick to this schedule as closely as possible to build consistency! 4. Use time management techniques:  Techniques such as the “Pomodoro Technique” (working in focused intervals with short breaks) can help maintain concentration and therefore productivity. 5. Seek accountability:  Share your goals and deadlines with a friend, family member, learning mentor, manager or colleague as relevant. They should check on you regularly and you should report your progress to them. 6. Avoid multitasking:  Focus on one task at a time to ensure it receives your full attention. Multitasking can lead to distractions and decreased efficiency. Conclusion While Parkinson’s Law presents a significant challenge to self-directed distance learners, understanding its influence and implementing effective time management strategies can help you navigate the pitfalls. By setting clear goals, creating a structured schedule, dividing work as needed and seeking accountability, you can harness the flexibility of self-directed learning while maintaining productivity and achieving success in your CPD.