• Why educators have a role to play in developing learner soft skills

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    Jason Gregory, International Director, UK BTEC & Apprenticeships at Pearson, says that educators need to provide the framework for learners to hone their soft skills on the go, as industry requirements are changing rapidly in the modern world of work.  This is a challenge for the teaching of technical, hard skills because they tend to have a shorter shelf life in today’s climate. Whereas soft skills – i.e. people skills, collaboration skills, attitudes and attributes – are evergreen and work to serve current and future workers well in the pursuit of professional progression.  
     
    Jason notes that employers expect learners to demonstrate proficiency in the aforementioned three key areas; however, as Jason notes, the reality is these skills are missing from the talent pool. 
     
    “We're increasing now in our own research and really seeing that virtually every job role now has some form of digital skills requirements, some information technology (IT) skills, as well. So, it’s about ensuring that we understand what the future, digital skills required for each of those job roles are to ensure the pedagogy is cutting-through. 
     
    “Employers are asking for these skills and are saying they’re missing from people coming out of education institutions. We need to have a well-rounded future skills package that covers the technical, digital, data and people skills elements.” 
     
    Jason says that in order to assist learners in developing learner knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values as it pertains to future skills is clear: adopt some more applied experiential learning methodologies and pedagogy. He adds that integrated learning is extremely valuable here, too, and it’s an initiative that Pearson assumes with its education partners. 
     
    “If you have a problem-solving task at hand, how you best learn to develop and hone the skills and attitude required to handle that task, is to apply that learned behaviour to a real-life scenario and task. For example, if you’re an engineer, you should be applying problem-solving skills to a particular task that you would do as an engineer in your real-life workplace environment.  
     
    “This really is what we do to help train teachers to adopt this experiential applied learning approach and problem-solving pedagogy, and then we create assignments and scenarios in our courseware that helps enable the application of those attitudes. I think that’s a real key aspect which sits within our BTEC methodology of teaching and learning, as well. It’s moving away from that didactic to more academic teaching and applied learning.” 

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  • Practice makes perfect: How PTE improves English achievements for students

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    The best place to start to determine how much preparation is required for PTE is for students to understand their current English skills and proficiency, and compare that to their desired score. When it comes to test preparation, it can be an uphill battle to get your students enthused and excited about the study work that lies ahead. 
     
    But with guidance from educators, students can achieve their desired score and unlock a world of personal, professional and academic possibilities. For effective PTE preparation, students should familiarise themselves with the test format, evaluate their English proficiency, have a desired test date in mind, and from there implement a robust study plan. This is something that you can help drive as an educator to ensure they’re on the right path in the lead up to their test day. 
     
    And so, to increase their chances at achieving their desired results, students can take a practice test to assess their likely score, which is a valuable way to guide their preparation and study strategies. To further explore the importance of effective preparation, there are some tips and tricks to ensure your students are set up for success. We’ve categorised these in four sections that covers tips for each key date leading up to the test:  

    • 1 month before the test.  
      Have your students follow the news (or watch a documentary) to assist them with sentence structure and vocabulary organisation, plus it provides excellent listening practice. At this stage, having a study plan is crucial, too.  
    • 1 week before the test.
      It’s recommended that students sit at least one practice test under exam conditions – this means finding a quiet place and timing their session.   
    • 1 day before the test.  
      Students should have everything prepared for the test, including their identification. Being prepared a day before the test will ensure that students are relaxed and ready for the test. 
    • The day of the test.  
      It’s important that students arrive on time to avoid any stresses, and that they speak and think in English on their way to the test centre to put them in the ‘test mindset’. 

    Additionally, educators can add another resource to their student’s PTE test preparation tool kit – the official PTE practice app. The app will help students create a personalised study plan, including a countdown to their test day. Tailored to the individual’s timeframe, the planner makes sure that everything they need to study (and revise) is addressed by the date of the exam. 
     
    The app also includes interactive practice questions, providing students with instant scores and feedback on their answers. Additionally, students have access to ‘how to improve’ guides that detail exactly that: how to improve their exam scores with actionable insights that use examples to ensure the advice is clear.  
     
    The ‘how to improve’ guides cover all parts of the test – in addition to consistent test practice, the additional content in the official app is designed to help students effectively prepare to perform their best on test day.

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  • The educator’s playbook 2.0: The role of future skills in the new world of work

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    With globalisation, automation and advancements in technology, future skills have never been more important.   

    We gained exclusive access to Pearson’s Jason Gregory (International Director, UK BTEC & Apprenticeships) to gather his insights on the importance of future skills and the crucial role educators play in preparing learners for future workforce demands. 
     
    So, what’s inside the eBook? 

    • Working together means the world can be a more resilient, capable and inclusive place: the role of all stakeholders working in unison (learners, educators, business leaders and policy makers) 
    • Baking future skills into modern curriculum to enable an ‘always learning’ mindset 
    • The role of educators in developing the future skills of learners 
    • Remaining competitive with up-to-date future skills … plus more! 

    Beat your competitors to it — download your free copy today. 
     

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  • Breaking down PTE Academic, section by section

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    With the ever-increasing importance of English as a global language, the governments of Vietnam and Thailand have policies in place to boost the English language proficiency of their populations.

    And as the Thai and Vietnamese populations embark on their English language learning journey, they will inevitably encounter the checkpoint of needing to test and prove their English skills to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Enter the Pearson Test of English, otherwise known as PTE.  

    It’s a globally recognised, computer-based English language test that measures language ability – it is the fastest and most reliable way of proving English language proficiency

    Launched in 2009, PTE was created in response to the demand for a more accurate, objective, secure and relevant test of English skill. PTE is accepted by academic institutions and governments across the globe and is the market-leading high stakes English test. 

    PTE stands out in the market due to its speed, flexibility, fairness and accuracy – being a computer-based test, PTE eliminates the biases of human scoring and ensures that marking is devoid of human error. 

    Students who want to study or migrate abroad are required to demonstrate their English skills, and like any tests your students may take, it requires adequate preparation. Students are exposed to excerpts from lectures, graphs and charts, and will hear a vast range of accents in the test, which reflects exposure to the types of accents encountered in everyday life.  

     

    YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: PODCAST: Episode 4 — Going global with PTE Academic (ไทย  |  Tiếng Việt)

     

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  • What are the benefits of having English language skills?

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    Those who have English language skills reap the rewards in their personal and professional lives.  

    Having English language skills not only increases employability and earning potential, but it also hones key soft skills, too.   

    We unpack the benefits in the infographic below.

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  • Building multidimensional courses for future workforces

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    As economies in Asia-Pacific continue to flourish and develop, countries like Thailand and Vietnam find themselves in need of a larger cohort of competent, qualified professionals. According to global recruiter ManpowerGroup, Thailand lacks enough skilled workers to meet growing demand in the sales, information technology, engineering, business administration, accounting and manufacturing sectors.  

    Through its alignment with the expanding knowledge economy, Pearson is primed to offer educators and policymakers in the region the right tools to innovate their pedagogy and, for their learners, the skills required to thrive in today’s world.  

    The key is developing its Global Scale of English and professional qualifications: Pearson “really understands what the needs of the learner are, particularly in terms of the progression in their careers,” says Phil Myers, Pearson’s Head of International Product.   

    “It's incumbent on us to be absolutely clear in terms of what that progression and opportunity are, what the skills, knowledge and understanding are, and to make sure that we're really embedded with the employers in understanding what the elements of that progression route, so that we can make sure the courses are fully purposed.” 

    Tapping industry experts for insights  

    Pearson works with a pool of pedagogic and industry experts who are trained to understand course design and be responsive to their own research on a continuous basis. Alongside this specialist input, “a key priority for us is working in partnership with employers,” Phil says. Employers are, almost by definition, crucial to how vocational courses are structured, given that the skills learned are dictated by what they are looking for.   

    For this reason, Pearson has cultivated strong industry relationships to enhance the way its courses and qualifications are crafted, says Phil. “I think that partnership approach to designing courses is absolutely essential and it means that we can work very deeply with an employer and really make sure that employer needs are being met in course design.”  

    Jason Gregory, Pearson’s International Director, UK BTEC & Apprenticeships, agrees with that approach and underscores the role of education experts in bringing vocational training to the classroom and online. “We take all the information from the employer and interpret it and convert it into a course. That's an important part of what Pearson does with its partnership with employers.” 

    Practical, hands-on and career oriented  

    One of the main factors that sets Pearson’s qualifications apart is the emphasis on preparing learners for the world of work. As Phil explains, when designing coursework, the creators draw on their understanding of occupational standards from a range of international jurisdictions to better evaluate where best practices happen.   

    “We can help, advise and support employability from understanding that best practice and bringing best practice to bear in our courses. That's something which gives us a real advantage and they [learners] like that it’s available to them. It’s one of our core strengths,” he notes. 

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  • The educator’s playbook: Teaching critical thinking in today’s world [FREE DOWNLOAD]

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    Critical thinking is one of the most sought-after skills in the modern era – many thought leaders argue that it is number one on the list in terms of future skills. Educators must play a leading role in teaching critical thinking skills to today’s learners as part of their curriculum and wider teaching methods.

    In this asset, you will find exclusive, actionable insights from critical thinking experts who have conducted years of research on the topic.

    So, what’s inside the eBook?

    • An analysis of the research on critical thinking
    • Tips on how critical thinking can be taught today
    • The importance of critical thinking
    • A deep dive on measuring critical thinking and the role of technology
    • Insights for tailoring critical thinking teaching to the individual
    • And a breakdown of the cultural and global challenges of teaching critical thinking

    Beat your competitors to it – get your free copy today. 

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  • PTE Academic is the gold standard: here's why

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    Pearson Test of English (PTE) is the gold standard English language assessment test for learners.

    PTE Academic is your gateway to globally recognised universities and colleges, life changing scholarships and student visas.

    See why PTE Academic stands out as the English test of choice for study abroad and immigration. 

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  • PODCAST: Episode 2 — A portrait of a global school in Southeast Asia

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    Welcome to episode 2 of the Art of Learning podcast, brought to you by Pearson Asia.

    We're joined by Lê Thị Phượng Liên, Deputy Director of International Education - BTEC at the American Polytechnic College in Hồ Chí Minh, to discuss the power of vocational education and the importance of linking qualifications to jobs.

    We introduce the American Polytechnic College (1:23), we discuss why Pearson's BTEC qualifications stand out (4:34), the importance of guidance from your education partners (6:39), student feedback on hands-on learning (9:07), and Lê Thị Phượng Liên offers her advice on implementing BTEC qualifications in your institution (10:53). 

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  • Online vs. blended learning: which is better?

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    In the times before technology, traditional teaching methods were heavily reliant on print-based material, as classwork was done from a student book and in turn homework was completed in a workbook.

    It's a proven approach, and fundamentally the anatomy of the classroom hasn’t changed all that much. What’s different now, however, is the prevalence of technology and its place in the world of education. As technology advances around us, so does the way we teach and learn.

    Cassette tapes were leveraged as an education tool in the 1970s and 80s, and we then transitioned to the computing advancements of the 1990s, which made way for more sophisticated use of laptops in the classroom setting.

    As such, we saw the possibilities of online teaching methods emerge as a new teaching approach that could complement face-to-face learning.

    While the technology at the time was limited, it signified a landmark moment in teaching. Educators realised that teaching and learning can be done outside of the classroom and holds vast benefits for learners.

    In the context of English language teaching, there are a number of variables that are changing the way learning is done, and they are as follows: learner appetite for on-demand access to information is as high as ever; competition for attention is fierce; and of course, the evolution of technology is as rapid as ever.

    Ultimately, the way we learn is not linear and everyone has their own learning journey, so the challenge for teachers crafting their approach for modern English language learners remains – what is the best approach?

    Enter online learning and blending learning. Brick and click, tailored learning, digital learning, and so on. We often hear of these terms, but it’s not always clear on how this looks, feels, and functions in practice.

    Let’s dive into the online learning approach

    What is online learning? This approach is essentially a learning environment that exists online. Learners can practice at their own rate, do their homework in their own time, and self-direct their learning.

    Kayo Taguchi is Pearson Asia's English language teaching (ELT) portfolio manager, and she says that the most beneficial aspect to the online teaching approach is the higher volume of data to tap in to, and so that means being able to track progress, analyse the numbers behind learner patterns, and in turn apply learnings. 

    “Teachers are creating online classroom environments, where they're doing interactive activities such as: polling, breakout rooms and other team-based activities all online. What this is presenting is an opportunity for students to transition to do their homework outside of the classroom, and even go that step further to do additional study in their own time because the online environment makes it possible.”

    While the online learning approach allows students to get creative with their approach to doing homework and extracurricular study, there are challenges associated with the online-only approach.

    For Kayo, this approach is reliant on access to technology, a sound internet connection, and disciplined learners.

    “There's the technology side of things when we’re learning and teaching online, for example, when people are accidentally on mute, or if learners don’t have computers, or their internet isn’t holding up, or they're looking at other things on their phone – that kind of general challenge is present.”

    And for teachers, there’s the administrative considerations of getting the classroom online and some level of platform upskilling to understand how to get the most out of the online classroom environment.

    Kayo says that with a little bit of training and a clear plan in place, the online teaching approach can be very effective.

    “For example, if learners have missed a class then teachers can provide a recording of the online experience or a PDF that provides an overview of the lesson. And during unprecedented times like we have experienced with COVID-19, you can access courses from anywhere, and you don’t need the physical classroom.”

    So, what about the blended learning approach?

    As the name suggests, blended learning is a mix between two methods that is as follows: traditional, face-to-face learning and online learning. If we visualise it in the context of a Venn diagram, it looks like this:

    • Region A denotes online learning
    • Region B denotes face-to-face learning
    • The union of A and B denotes blended learning 
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