ITI Istanbul

22/07/2026

Are you ready to move from teaching to developing other teachers? 🎓

Join ITI's FREE webinar, “From Teacher to Trainer,” to explore what becoming a trainer really involves and how you can take your first steps.

Webinar: Wednesday 5 August 2026
Time: 19.30
Online and free
Register through the link in our bio.

20/07/2026

Here's what most teacher training misses: the moment you finish the course, the support stops.

Not with CELTA.

The way CELTA is structured-peer observations, group feedback cycles, shared lesson planning-it's not accidentally building relationships. It's systematically engineering them.

When you observe a colleague's lesson, you're not just evaluating. You're creating accountability. When you sit in feedback circles, normalizing vulnerability becomes the norm. When you plan together, trust gets built into the rhythm of the work.

The result? Teachers report staying in active contact with their CELTA cohort 2+ years-sometimes 5+ years-after certification. Those aren't friendships that happened to form. They're professional partnerships the course structure made inevitable.

Your cohort doesn't end when CELTA does. It evolves into mentorship, into someone you text when you're stuck, into colleagues who understand exactly what you're navigating because they've walked the same path.

That's the peer support infrastructure that sustains your teaching practice long after you've earned your certificate.

07/07/2026

In this new Teaching Artistry Tip, I share three simple breath-based activities:

• Dragon’s Breath — a quick, energising movement activity to wake up the room and raise attention.
• The Balloon — a gentle exercise for practising slow, controlled airflow and supporting vocal clarity.
• The Pump — a short activity for exploring breath, pace and vocal projection.

They are practical ways to become more aware of how breath, movement and voice shape classroom energy and learner engagement.

For ideas on voice, presence, creativity and connection in teaching, visit the Teaching Artistry website:
https://teachingartistry.com/

You are also welcome to join the free Performative ELT Community, where teachers and trainers share ideas, activities and reflections on making teaching more human, embodied and engaging:
https://performativeelt.com/free-community-6779



http://teachingartistry.com/2026/07/07/does-your-classroom-need-a-dragon/

Wake Up the Room, Wake Up Your Voice: Breathing Activities for Teachers Teaching needs energy. Energy comes through breathing. There are moments when a class needs lifting: the point after lunch, t…

07/07/2026

Everything starts with a breath.

When we arrive in class rushed, tense or breathless, it often affects how we teach. We may speak too quickly, over-explain, raise our volume, fill silences or sound less available to learners.

This short Teaching Artistry tip explores a simple breathing practice that can help teachers settle their body, warm up their voice and enter the classroom with more calm and intention.

It is not just about sounding better. It is about creating more space to pause, listen, respond thoughtfully and help learners feel safe enough to participate. For more practical ideas on voice, presence, creativity and connection in teaching, visit the Teaching Artistry website: https://teachingartistry.com/

You can also join the free Performative ELT Community, where teachers and trainers share ideas, activities and reflections on making teaching more human, embodied and engaging:

https://performativeelt.com/free-community-6779

http://teachingartistry.com/2026/07/07/breathing-techniques-for-teachers-enhance-your-teaching-presence/

Teaching Artistry Tip: Breathe to better teaching Everything starts with a breath. When you enter a classroom breathless, tense or rushed, that appears in your voice. You may speak too quickly, ove…

04/07/2026

What do you think is the most irreplaceably human part of teaching?

Share your thoughts below. I would genuinely like to hear them.

For those who want to explore these questions more deeply, I also host a free space for teachers and teacher educators interested in presence, rapport, embodied learning and the human side of teaching:

https://performativeelt.com/free-community-6779

http://teachingartistry.com/2026/07/04/will-ai-replace-human-teachers/

What AI Can Replace: The Human Encounter at the Heart of Teaching A glowing cybernetic hand with intricate digital circuits illuminated in a dark setting One of the buzz questions in education toda…

19/06/2026

Why Teaching Presence Matters More in the Age of AI

AI can assist in teaching through content generation and feedback, but it lacks the emotional awareness that teachers possess. Teaching presence, characterized by human connection and responsiveness, fosters a safe learning environment vital for language learners. As AI evolves, educators must enhance their presence, ensuring a more human-centered approach to teaching....

AI can assist in teaching through content generation and feedback, but it lacks the emotional awareness that teachers possess. Teaching presence, characterized by human connection and responsivenes…

16/06/2026

The Missing Skill in Teacher Education

Meta-Performative Awareness Teaching Artistry. Most teacher education programmes help teachers think carefully about planning. What are the aims? What language is being taught? What problems might learners have? What instructions are needed? What interaction patterns will be used? What will the teacher do if the task fails? All of this matters. But there is another question we do not ask often enough:...

Meta-Performative Awareness Teaching Artistry. Most teacher education programmes help teachers think carefully about planning. What are the aims? What language is being taught? What problems might …

11/06/2026

Errors are not just errors.

In language classrooms, the way we respond to errors can communicate safety or shame, confidence or fear, possibility or withdrawal.

My latest article explores why error correction is one of the most powerful moments in teaching — and how teachers can correct in ways that protect dignity, encourage risk-taking and keep learners in the conversation.

Read the article and share your thoughts.

If you’re interested in presence, rapport, embodied learning and the performative dimensions of teaching, join the free **Performative ELT** community:
https://performativeelt.com/free-community-6779



http://teachingartistry.com/2026/06/11/errors-are-not-just-errors-they-are-performative-moments/

Error correction is one of the most powerful performative moments in teaching In language teaching, we often talk about errors as if they are purely linguistic events. A learner uses the wrong tens…

09/06/2026

Every teacher action sends a signal.

A pause, a correction, a gesture, a question, a moment of eye contact — all of these can communicate safety or threat, recognition or dismissal, agency or control.

In this article, I explore how small classroom behaviours shape whether learners feel able to participate, take risks and see themselves as capable language users.

If you’re interested in presence, rapport, embodied learning and the performative dimensions of teaching, join the free **Performative ELT** community here:
https://performativeelt.com/free-community-6779

http://teachingartistry.com/2026/06/09/every-teacher-action-sends-a-signal/

Meta-Performative Awareness In the previous post, I argued that “good rapport” is not enough as a way of talking about teaching. Not because rapport is unimportant. It is extremely important. But w…

29/05/2026

Good Rapport Is Not Enough

Why teacher education needs a better language for what teachers communicate. “You have a great rapport.” “Create a warmer atmosphere.” “Try to be more engaging.” “Encourage more participation.” “Don’t undermine learner confidence.” These are all important comments. The problem is not that they are wrong. The problem is that they are often not very useful. A trainee teacher may hear, “You need to build more rapport,” and genuinely want to improve....

Why teacher education needs a better language for what teachers communicate. “You have a great rapport.” “Create a warmer atmosphere.” “Try to be more engaging.” “Encourage more participation.” “Do…