Teaching, learning and assessment

This category looks at your ability to plan and manage language learning, make effective use of learning resources, understand teaching language systems and skills, and 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, plus some 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 their 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

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 Cambridge English: Key and Preliminary for Schools
Read	Planning creatively for mixed-level young learners
Do	Observe a colleague teaching his/her class and try out some teaching techniques which you observed your colleague using. Invite a colleague to observe you teaching and identify areas where you want to improve. Then work on one or more of these areas and invite your colleague to observe you again. Team-teach with a colleague and try out some techniques/activities which your colleague used in your own class next time. Collaborate with other colleagues to share materials, teaching ideas and/or lesson plans. Download free, practical resources
Study	Try these courses from Cambridge University Press: Teaching Vocabulary and Pronunciation Teaching Grammar Teaching Speaking Teaching Writing Teaching with Technology: Internet and Tools Teaching with Technology: Apps and Social Introduction to Blended Learning How to teach IELTS How to teach Cambridge English exams

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 their own template, with good awareness of learners' needs and difficulties, regularly demonstrating 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 their 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
Read	Second language listening: Where are we?
Do	Observe a colleague teaching his/her class and try out some teaching techniques which your colleague 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
Study	Try these courses from Cambridge University Press: Teaching Vocabulary and Pronunciation Teaching Grammar Teaching Speaking Teaching Writing Teaching with Technology: Internet and Tools Teaching with Technology: Apps and Social Introduction to Blended Learning How to teach IELTS How to teach Cambridge English exams

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 demonstrating 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 their 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 Understanding and Using the CEFR for Teaching and Learning
Read	Feedback on tasks
Do	Observe a colleague teaching his/her class and refine your own principles of effective teaching based on your observations. Invite a colleague to observe you teaching and compare your colleague's assessment of student learning in the class with your own. Team-teach with a colleague and compare your own and your colleague's assessment of student learning from different activities in the class. Collaborate with other colleagues to build up a bank of materials, teaching ideas and lesson plans for all colleagues to use. Consider becoming a Cambridge Examiner Download free, practical resources
Study	Try these courses from Cambridge University Press: Teaching Vocabulary and Pronunciation Teaching Grammar Teaching Speaking Teaching Writing Teaching with Technology: Internet and Tools Teaching with Technology: Apps and Social Introduction to Blended Learning How to teach IELTS How to teach Cambridge English exams

Download the Cambridge English Teaching Framework – Competency statements

Download the Cambridge English Teaching Framework – Framework components

Cambridge English teaching qualifications

We provide industry-leading qualifications that prove what teachers of English can do. These qualifications are mapped to the Cambridge English Teaching Framework, and support teachers every step of the way by helping them build the skills and confidence they need to teach English effectively.

Learn more about teaching qualifications