You can also watch the event live on our Facebook or YouTube page. No registration is necessary to watch on Facebook or YouTube.
About this event
In April–June 2025, TeachingEnglish is focusing on the theme of Understanding your learners.
In the first webinar of this series, two of our TeachingEnglish training courses tutors will explain exactly what understanding your learners involves and how it can help you plan and deliver more effective classes. In this event you will also discover how people learn best, exploring the science and psychology behind effective teaching and learning. Learn evidence-informed strategies and gain practical insights to create a more understanding, supportive and effective classroom for your learners!
About the sessions
Session 1: Understanding your learners: A practical introduction
Speakers:
Sirin Soyoz and Melissa Thomson
Time and date:
12.00–13.00 (UK time) Friday 11 April 2025
Session information:
In this webinar our two current TeachingEnglish training courses tutors will give an interactive and practical introduction to our theme for April, May and June: Understanding your learners. With them you will learn how to develop your awareness of the diversity of your learners, how the learning environment and group dynamics can affect individuals, and more. Join the session to reflect on your own teaching practices and find out what professional development opportunities can help you grow in this area.
Session 2: Evidence-informed techniques for better learning
Speaker:
André Hedlund
Time and date:
13.15–14.15 (UK time) Friday 11 April 2025
Session information:
Let's look into the how and why of learning so that we can help our learners do their best. This session attempts to bridge the gap between the classroom and what psychologists and cognitive linguists now know about the science of learning. What does their research say about what happens in the brain when we learn effectively? How can these insights impact the English classroom? This talk will show you four evidence-informed strategies you can incorporate into your English language lessons for better learning.
Session 3: Emotional safety and learning
Speaker:
Georgia Papamichaelidou
Time and date:
14.30–15.30 (UK time) Friday 11 April 2025
Session information:
We often hear our learners ask us difficult questions like 'What if I fail?' or 'Are you proud of me?' These questions often mask deeper emotions of self-doubt, anxiety or a need for validation. Understanding that students of all ages learn best when they feel safe, supported and valued is the starting point for answering these complex questions. In this session, we will look at the impact and importance of emotional safety in learning. We will also see practical strategies that help learners feel supported and teachers be ready to answer those questions.
You can also watch the event live on our Facebook page or on our YouTube page. No registration is necessary to watch on Facebook.
About the speakers
Sirin Soyoz is a teacher educator from Turkey and is currently a course tutor for the TeachingEnglish community. She has worked for the British Council for over ten years and has been involved in online teacher-training courses as the programme manager, e-moderator and e-learning projects coordinator. She has a special interest in AI and the integration of technology in education.
Melissa Thomson is a teacher educator based in Spain but originally from Scotland. Alongside Sirin, she too is a course tutor for the TeachingEnglish community. Melissa also works as an e-moderator and project coordinator and writes ELT textbooks for secondary-age learners. You may recognise her as one of our regular webinar hosts!
André Hedlund's many roles include lecturing, teacher training for the British Council and working as an educational consultant for various leading publishers. He leads the Mind, Brain, and Education Special Interest Group at BRAZ-TESOL, is the co-host of the Chá Pedagógico podcast and is also the author of The Owl Factor: Reframing Your Teaching Philosophy. André works in Brazil.
Georgia Papamicheailidou is an international educational leader and IATEFL trustee with expertise in curriculum design, teacher training and sustainability. Passionate about the psychology behind teaching and learning, Georgia has extensive experience coaching educators globally to inspire transformational change. Georgia works in the UK. Georgia did a webinar titled 'Can you gamify professional growth?' that you can watch here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/news-and-events/webinars/webinars-teachers/developing-teachers-mini-event
Important information about our events – please read
- How to watch the webinar
Our webinars are free. They take place in Zoom events. Click the 'Register for Zoom event' button to register to join live. You can also watch the event on our Facebook or YouTube page.
- Webinar recordings
All TeachingEnglish webinars are recorded, and you will find links to the recordings under the session information on this page between 24 and 48 hours after the live webinar has ended. You can also find the videos on the TeachingEnglish YouTube channel. Recordings will be available to watch for a minimum of six months and up to one year after the live event has ended.
- Webinar handouts
PDF handouts from each presenter will be available after the webinars.
- Certificates
Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. You will receive a 'Thank you for attending' email after the webinar if you registered and watched on Zoom. You should receive this within 72 hours of the live event.
You should download the certificate to your computer. Once the certificate is saved to your computer, open it and type your name on the certificate. We recommend using Google Chrome or Internet Explorer to do this. You cannot do this from a mobile device.
- Code of conduct – participants
Please be respectful at all times to other participants and the presenter. Our webinars are freely available to attend by participants in all countries. Please be aware that comments you make in the general chat may have a negative impact on other participants and their enjoyment of the webinar.
Do not use insulting or offensive language or comments towards other participants or the presenter.
Do not make comments that include cultural references or political references that may be offensive or upsetting to other participants or the presenter.
Any offensive or insulting comments will be deleted, and the participant making the comment will be removed from the webinar.
Do not share any personal information in the general chat that may result in other participants contacting you. This includes addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
Do not share links to your website or any websites that you are promoting for the purposes of making money.
Comments that include links to paid-for websites for the sole purpose of promotion will be deleted, and you may be removed from the webinar.
Please use the Q&A to ask the presenter questions that are related to the theme or topic of the webinar only. If participant responses to questions are permitted, you should only make comments that are relevant to the question being asked.
- Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in our live events are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the view or position of the British Council.