“My profile isn’t the usual one; in the academic field, I don’t really need to know how to sell a product, but I was lucky to have a trainer who was able to adapt to my needs. Her listening skills and wide range of knowledge and interests made the training very lively and interesting and gave me a lot to learn orally. It made me feel more self-confident and able to express myself more freely, which was what I was aiming for.” (France, Academia)

Rapid advancements in AI have called into question the role of human teachers in education. But while AI-powered tools offer valuable support and resources, the human teacher remains essential in providing a personalized and engaging learning experience. At Learnship, we believe the most effective and beneficial approach to language learning combines the best of both worlds: the unique advantages and expertise of human teachers and the powerful capabilities of AI.

The Importance of the Human Teacher

Human teachers can authentically connect with students on an emotional level. They can provide empathy, encouragement, and understanding, which creates an environment where students feel supported and motivated. Human teachers can also quickly adapt their approach to cater to students’ needs, resulting in a truly personalized learning experience. Unlike AI, they can share personal anecdotes, cultural insights, and real-world examples based on lived experience, making classes engaging and relevant.

The Power of AI

AI can be a powerful tool to enhance a student’s learning experience. By its ability to quickly create content (to name but one example), AI can help trainers tailor their courses to a student’s personal and professional needs. However, human teachers are essential in this process, as they are needed to guide the generation of such material. Human teachers must also verify that any AI-generated content is free of inaccuracies, stereotypes, and bias.

Learnship’s Approach and Benefits

At Learnship, the human teacher is critical to delivering high-quality language training. Here is how our approach works:

• Rigorous Teacher Training: Before they can start teaching with us, our teachers must undergo a comprehensive training program to ensure they meet our company’s high standards. Following induction training, teachers must deliver two mock lessons, which are observed by our team of Teacher Trainers, to prove that they can implement our desired teaching methods and techniques.
• Professional Development: We provide our teachers professional development opportunities by offering various training workshops. These workshops cover an array of topics, including how to use ChatGPT effectively and training in other AI-powered tools. By embracing AI, we help our teachers stay ahead of the curve as education technology rapidly evolves.
• Lesson Observations: Our team of experienced Teacher Trainers regularly observes lessons to ensure teachers are providing students with the best possible learning experience. This is also a key source of professional development, as it invites trainers to reflect on their lessons and teaching strategies and continue developing their teaching practices.
• Personalization: We give teachers the freedom and flexibility to adapt their courses to their students’ needs. A key part of this is our extensive Content Library, which includes licensed materials from published coursebooks alongside material created in-house by our content creation team. Of course, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT cannot use such copyrighted material, further demonstrating the benefits of human-led learning as offered by Learnship.
• Continuous Feedback and Improvement: We regularly ask our students to complete feedback surveys, after which our Teacher Trainers offer teachers advice and suggestions on implementing this feedback.
• Supportive Community: Our Teacher Trainers remain available to answer any pedagogical questions teachers may have and offer 1-on-1 coaching sessions. We also help connect teachers and promote knowledge sharing by offering Trainer Cafés, where teachers can meet with fellow teachers of the same language.

Though AI can greatly enhance the learning experience, the human touch remains invaluable and necessary. Ultimately, we believe in combining the benefits of human teachers—their lived experiences and ability to form connections—with the strategic use of technology. We promote rigorous training, ongoing professional development, personalization, and a supportive community to provide our students with the highest-quality training possible.