Teaching, learning and assessment

This category of the Cambridge English Teaching Framework looks at your ability to:

• Plan and manage language learning
• Make effective use of learning resources
• Understand teaching language systems and skills
• Assess learning

Four stages of development

Every skill is described in relation to the four stages of development: Foundation, Developing, Proficient and Expert. Below, we list some of the main competencies for each stage and provide suggestions on how to develop further.

Foundation

• Have a basic understanding of some key principles of teaching and learning (lesson planning, materials selection, classroom management, the learning environment, teaching systems and skills)
• Have started to demonstrate the ability to use this understanding to plan basic systems and skills lessons according to a simple given template, with basic awareness of learners' needs and difficulties and sometimes demonstrating a balance between teacher-centred and learner-centred activities
• Have started to see some clear links between your planning and teaching choices and subsequent student learning
• Have started to demonstrate the ability to teach simple systems and skills lessons using a basic repertoire of teaching techniques and with reasonable classroom management

Ways to develop further

Watch	Classroom ideas for A2 Key for schools and B1 Preliminary for Schools video
Read	Using the board – Ten tips
Do	Observe a colleague teaching their class and identify some teaching techniques you have not used before, then invite a colleague to observe you and identify some areas of your own teaching to improve Team-teach with a colleague and identify ways in which they plan and / or teach differently from you Collaborate with colleagues to share materials, teaching ideas and / or lesson plans Download free, practical resources

Developing

• Are aware of many key principles of teaching and learning (lesson planning, materials selection, classroom management, the learning environment, teaching systems and skills)
• Demonstrate the ability to use this understanding to plan reasonably detailed systems and skills lessons according to a given template, with some awareness of learners' needs and difficulties, often demonstrating a balance between teacher-centred and learner-centred activities, and deliver these with some adaptation
• Are able to respond to some unforeseen classroom events
• Demonstrate the ability to teach systems and skills lessons using a wider repertoire of teaching techniques and with reasonably effective classroom management, as well as the ability to choose appropriate materials, including web-based materials, with some improvisation

Ways to develop further

Watch	Classroom ideas for A2 Key for Schools & B1 Preliminary for Schools video
Read	Planning creatively for mixed-level young learners
Do	Observe a colleague teaching and try out some of their techniques Invite a colleague to observe you teaching and identify areas where you want to improve. Work on one or more of these areas and invite your colleague to observe you again. Team-teach with a colleague and then try out some of the techniques and activities they used with your own class Collaborate with colleagues to share materials, teaching ideas and / or lesson plans Download free, practical resources

Proficient

• Have a good understanding of many key principles of teaching and learning (lesson planning, materials selection, classroom management, the learning environment, teaching systems and skills)
• Demonstrate the ability to use this understanding to plan detailed systems, skills and integrated lessons according to your own template, with good awareness of learners' needs and difficulties. Regularly demonstrate a balance between teacher-centred and learner-centred activities, and deliver these with conscious adaptation.
• Are able to respond appropriately to most unforeseen classroom events and can see clear links between your planning and teaching choices and subsequent student learning
• Demonstrate the ability to teach systems, skills and integrated lessons effectively using a wide range of teaching techniques and with effective classroom management

Ways to develop further

Watch	How can assessment support learning? A learning oriented approach video
Read	Second language listening: where are we?
Do	Observe a colleague teaching their class and try out some teaching techniques which they used. Identify the effects on your learners. Identify specific areas of your teaching you would like a colleague to observe, and invite them to do so Team-teach with a colleague and identify the effects on learners of the different techniques / activities which you and your colleague used Download free, practical resources

Expert

• Have a sophisticated understanding of key principles of teaching and learning (lesson planning, materials selection, classroom management, the learning environment, teaching systems and skills)
• Demonstrate the ability to use this understanding to plan detailed and sophisticated systems, skills and integrated lessons (often unconsciously), with a clear rationale and detailed understanding of learners' needs and difficulties. Consistently demonstrate a balance between teacher-centred and learner-centred activities and deliver these with principled adaptation.
• Are able to respond appropriately, confidently and automatically to almost all unforeseen classroom events and have developed a sophisticated understanding of the link between your planning and teaching choices and subsequent student learning
• Demonstrate the ability to teach consistently effective systems, skills and integrated lessons using a sophisticated range of teaching techniques and with consistently effective classroom management

Ways to develop further

Watch

How can assessment support learning? A learning oriented approach video Understanding and using the CEFR for teaching and learning video

Do

Observe a colleague teaching their class and refine your own principles of effective teaching based on your observations Invite a colleague to observe you teaching and compare their assessment of student learning in the class with your own Team-teach with a colleague and compare their assessment of student learning from different activities with your own Collaborate with colleagues to build up a bank of materials, teaching ideas and lesson plans for all to use Consider becoming a Cambridge Examiner Download free, practical resources

Study materials for all levels

Study

Try the following online teacher development courses: Developing Speaking Skills Giving Feedback Teaching Communicatively Classroom Management for Young Learners Lesson Planning Classroom Management Teaching Teenage Learners Teaching Mixed-Ability Classes Try the following professional development books: Teaching and Developing Writing Skills Teaching and Developing Reading Skills Penny Ur’s 77 Tips for Teaching Vocabulary Nicky Hockly’s 50 Essentials for Using Learning Technologies Mark Hancock’s 50 Tips for Teaching Pronunciation Testing for Language Teachers, Third edition Classroom Management Techniques, Second edition

Download the Cambridge English Teaching Framework – Competency statements

Download the Cambridge English Teaching Framework – Framework components

Cambridge English teaching qualifications

Our industry-leading qualifications support you to develop your teaching skills and confidence, and prove what you can do. They are mapped to the Cambridge English Teaching Framework.

Learn more about teaching qualifications