Tag Archives: writing

What can a human teacher do that AI can’t?

Part 3 Can Performative Skills Be Developed? If performative skills matter, the next question is obvious: how can they be developed? This is particularly important because discussions of presence, charisma, rapport or creativity can easily become unhelpful. They can make … Continue reading

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What Can Human Teachers Do That AI Cannot?

Part 2: Understanding Performative Skills in Education If we want to defend the importance of the human teacher, it is not enough to say that teaching is “human”, “relational” or “creative”. These words matter, but they can also remain vague. … Continue reading

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FROM TEACHER TO TRAINER

Effective Feedback Starts with Questions More than 240 people registered for ITI’s recent From Teacher to Trainer webinar, with over 70 teachers joining us live. The level of interest suggested that many experienced teachers are thinking about how they might … Continue reading

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Errors Are Not Just Errors: They Are Performative Moments

Error correction is one of the most powerful performative moments in teaching In language teaching, we often talk about errors as if they are purely linguistic events. A learner uses the wrong tense. A word is mispronounced. A sentence is … Continue reading

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Every Teacher Action Sends a Signal

Meta-Performative Awareness In the previous post, I argued that “good rapport” is not enough as a way of talking about teaching. Not because rapport is unimportant. It is extremely important. But when we say a teacher has “good rapport”, we … Continue reading

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Good Rapport Is Not Enough

Why teacher education needs a better language for what teachers communicate. “You have a great rapport.” “Create a warmer atmosphere.” “Try to be more engaging.” “Encourage more participation.” “Don’t undermine learner confidence.” These are all important comments. The problem is … Continue reading

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Map of the Floor: When Teachers Step Into Their Story

An embodied reflection on identity, presence, and the journeys that shape how we teach. The Simple Workshop Exercise That Reveals a Teacher’s Journey In my Teaching Artistry workshops, I sometimes ask teachers to do something unusual. I tell them to … Continue reading

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Unlocking Teacher Potential: The Owl Transformation

The Owl Transformation The 10-Minute Activity That Reveals More About Teaching Than a Lecture Ever Could I often begin my Teaching Artistry workshops with a warning: “This activity is dangerous.” Teachers look concerned. Then I tell them they’re going to … Continue reading

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We tell teachers to reflect, but never teach them how to feel

Teacher reflection has become a mantra in professional development.But what if reflection just stays trapped in our heads? Teachers sit in training sessions analysing lessons and discussing what went wrong. They fill out self-evaluation forms, watch their peers, and write … Continue reading

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Embodied Learning in Action: Forum Theatre for Teachers

At the 2025 IATEFL Conference, Tom Godfrey highlighted Forum Theatre as an effective tool for teachers to confront real-life challenges through embodied learning. The workshop emphasized trust-building, group dynamics, and collaborative exploration, empowering educators to reflect on their experiences and experiment with creative problem-solving in a supportive environment. Continue reading

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