Professional Development

The author reports on a mentoring programme run in Poland for new teachers. The aim is for the teachers to feel safe and comfortable in order to perform well.

The author outlines some key aspects of emotional intelligence such as vulnerability, engagement, diversity and empathy.

Based on feedback fro a large cohort of trainees, the article assesses what is required in the training of teachers to work with very young learners.

The author reiterates the key learnings from the course, the importance of clarity, of keeping activities relevant to the context and the need to be detailed in the explanation and illustration of activities and tasks.