Teachers won’t be replaced by technology in the foreseeable future

On World Teachers’ Day, the British Council empowers educators worldwide. 2023 ‘Future of English: Global Perspectives’ report stresses teachers’ irreplaceable role and urges continuous teacher development and inclusive training for changing classrooms and technology challenges. In alignment with this, the British Council provides free online courses, conferences, and podcasts for educators’ empowerment and growth.

On World Teachers’ Day (5 October), the British Council is reaffirming its commitment to support teachers worldwide by providing them with the necessary essential skills and professional development to deliver better, world-class education.

The British Council, the UK’s organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, is a world leader in teacher support, with nearly 90 years of experience teaching English worldwide. The British Council’s 2023 ‘Future of English: Global Perspectives’ report highlights the need for high-quality continuous teacher development to help teachers deal with their rapidly changing classrooms – in particular, the pace of technological advancements, the need for teaching to remain relevant to local and global contexts and the pressure of a globalised and multilingual world. It underlines the significance of diverse teachers, technology integration and calls for a focus on quality training to ensure teachers remain relevant, offering an inclusive future for English education. The report states that it is unlikely that technology will replace the need for teachers in the foreseeable future, but it is necessary that teacher training and continuous professional development include training in technology.

In response, the British Council has redoubled its efforts to appreciate and improve educators worldwide, providing accessible and effective learning resources. As part of World Teachers’ Day, the British Council puts together a diverse array of free online courses, conferences and podcasts aimed at empowering teachers in their professional journey.

22 hours of global online professional development opportunity for educators

Since 2016, the British Council has been hosting virtual conferences for World Teachers’ Day, leaving a worldwide impression and captivating the attention of educators. This year’s World Teachers’ Day conference will start on Thursday 5 October at 09.00 UK time and end on Saturday 7 October at 16.00 UK time and feature 20 sessions from international speakers on English teaching. Teachers interested in taking part in the conference can sign up at www.teachingenglish.org.uk/world-teachers-day-2023

Professional development, self-improvement and peer collaboration

The British Council’s TeachingEnglish platform offers free, accessible and up-to-date continuous professional development options for teachers. This includes:

• Moderated online courses, such as the ‘Focus on professional development’ course, which aims to explore a range of developmental activities available to teachers.
• Mini-events, such as the ‘Creativity and 21st-century Skills in English Language Teaching’ which includes four webinars with English language teaching experts from around the world, focusing on different aspects of creative thinking, building confidence and strengthening soft skills.
• TeachingEnglish podcast series focusing on peer learning and knowledge sharing with episodes such as ‘Top Tips from Seasoned Educators, ‘Empowering Colleagues through Collaboration’ and ‘Fostering Peer-Led Learning’.
• Resources for English language teachers to drive forward social issues and climate action
• Online communities on Facebook and Instagram where teachers from around the globe share, discuss with and learn from peers.

Michael Connolly, Director of English programmes at the British Council says “Through these initiatives, the British Council seeks to empower teachers with the necessary tools, knowledge, and skills to nurture the next generation of global citizens. By promoting professional development opportunities and fostering collaboration, the British Council aims to enhance the overall quality of education and contribute to a brighter future for all.”