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"The only constant is change”, a phrase that the philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus is widely credited with.

Though it may look like a paradox, actually it is not. Without becoming too philosophical, one could argue that this statement communicates the real-life truth that perpetual shifting is the single permanent rule in life. How does this apply to teaching and to the teacher’s role in particular? Let’s start our magical mystery tour.

The first stop: the beginnings of the Communicative Approach

Before this revolution in the world of ELT, teachers were used to being the center of the classroom – a dominant, all-controlling figure orchestrating every move. Many students were quite happy with this situation, since nothing was unexpected: their creativity and spontaneity were neither welcome nor expected. Errors were not tolerated at all and teachers were supposed to correct them and, even better, prevent them from happening.

But soon it all changed. Teachers had two primary functions: facilitators of the communication process and independent participants within students’ groups (Breen and Candlin, 1980). No more centrality, which came as a shock to many, not because they were not ready to relinquish power, but because they were not sure how to go about this new role. What is expected from a facilitator, from a person who joins any group as another member?

Often the answer was this one: “When you are a facilitator, if a person enters your classroom, they won’t know who the teacher is.” This led to misinterpretations of this new role. It was not about making things easier for learners, nor was it about relinquishing power and having learners decide what to do.

This was natural. Think about a pendulum. When it’s at one end and it is moved, it does not stay in the middle but goes to the other end. Over time the pendulum reached a medium. This meant that teachers left their physical centrality, i.e. they did not stand at the front of the classroom at all times, but understood the centrality of their role in learning.

The next stops do not follow chronological order because they overlap.

Stop two: Task-based learning

Our next stop: Task-based learning (Willis, 1996 and Nunan, 1989). As it could be argued that it is a framework within communicative approaches, it did not create the same uneasiness in some teachers as the Communicative Approach. The teacher’s role is more structured, especially in Willis’s framework. Teachers select and sequence tasks, monitor students as they work without correcting mistakes, yet provide scaffolding as needed and help students notice language features and become aware of how language works.

Unlike early Communicative Language Teaching, form gets explicit attention, yet after students have been using language, i.e., after the task.

Stop three: Project-based learning.

Teachers move further away towards the background, acting as a coach or guide. They are expected to negotiate projects with their learners, provide scaffolding and language support as needed and assess both process and product, also encouraging self and peer assessment.

Stop four: The Lexical Approach

The stop: The Lexical Approach (Lewis, 1997). Teachers provide input and work toward learners noticing and discovering language features, while learners play an active, central role.

Stop five: Teachers today

The question goes around in society, “Will teachers be replaced by AI? Will they be necessary at all?” The answer to those questions is “No, teachers won't be replaced and will always be necessary." Why? What is there in our role that makes us unique? On the one hand, we know that we should mediate between learners and teaching materials.

This mediation cannot be black and white, since all groups are different and, even within each group, learners have different styles and needs and are affected by different situations. It is the teacher who knows this and knows when to adapt on the spur of the moment, just by looking at their learners’ faces. Often a learner’s question or comment helps us know where they are in their learning process and the scaffolding we give takes that as the starting point.

AI is a fantastic resource, but it is still a resource. It can help teachers generate materials and it can help learners by offering tailored information, answers to queries they may have when the teacher is not here to help, among other ideas. But the teacher has the final say before giving students AI-generated materials. The teacher’s critical reflection and mediation ensure the materials support learning.

As explained before, the teacher is not at the front of the classroom, yet their role is central to students’ learning.

We have come to the end of the magical mystery tour, and a question seems natural: Will AI become more intelligent and be context-sensitive in the way teachers are? We do not know. However, there have been different attempts to replace teachers since Skinner’s Teaching Machine and still, it is the teacher’s humanity that can make all the difference.

With several established English language tests already in use, it is a fair question for institutions to ask: do we really need to accept another one? 

However, in today’s evolving admissions landscape, the focus is shifting from maintaining the status quo to maximizing access and competitiveness. 

Global student mobility continues to grow, but access to testing remains a significant barrier. Limited test center availability, travel constraints and long result waiting times can all restrict students’ ability to apply, particularly in emerging or underserved markets. 

PTE Express directly addresses these challenges by offering fully online, flexible testing experience that allows candidates to take the test from anywhere at any time. This removes barriers from a geographic standpoint and opens the door to a wider, more diverse pool of applicants. 

Being an English language teacher means you’re also probably (definitely) a materials writer. You likely tailor or create language materials for your students that are suited to their needs and interests, either as supplements to your course materials or for communicative lessons. Alternatively, you might be a teacher who creates paid, published materials available for students worldwide to enjoy.

With this in mind, think of the materials you’ve developed and ask yourself the following:

• How do you level your grammar or vocabulary for the content you write?
• How do you find topic-related vocabulary to extend your students’ knowledge of language?
• How do you contextualize new grammar or vocabulary?

You can use many different resources, from online dictionaries to course workbooks to a Google search. Still, the Global Scale of English is a reference that provides everything you need to write great learning materials, all in one place. It can help save you valuable time as a teacher and materials writer.

For me, the GSE was a game changer as an English teacher, and it continues to be as I write materials. The GSE is not just a tool; it’s a companion in the complex journey of material development, offering clarity and direction at every step. It can guide you in creating effective, engaging learning resources.

How to use the GSE toolkit to create your own materials

1. Establishing clear Learning Objectives

The GSE helps you start with a clear roadmap. It provides detailed descriptors for language proficiency at every level, ensuring your materials align with specific learning objectives. For instance, if you’re creating a beginner-level reading comprehension activity, the GSE descriptors will guide you on the appropriate complexity of vocabulary and sentence structures.

Take a look at the Learning Objectives tab in the GSE Toolkit to learn more.

2. Designing level-appropriate content

Once objectives are set, the GSE assists in tailoring the content difficulty to the targeted proficiency level. Its numerical scale, ranging from 10 to 90, allows you to pinpoint the exact level of language skills required and design your materials accordingly. This precision ensures that learners are neither overwhelmed nor under-challenged.

You can set the level you are looking for by sliding the bar along the scale, so it corresponds to the appropriate CEFR level or GSE range.