ITI Istanbul

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....

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 responsivenes…

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:...

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 …

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....

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.” “Do…

Can presence be taught?

In the third post in this series, I explore why rapport, presence and engagement should not be treated as mysterious personality traits — but as developable professional skills.

If we can assess these qualities in teacher education, we should also be able to help teachers practise them.

This article looks at what a performative framework for ELT might offer: a way of thinking about teaching as embodied, interpretive, identity-shaping and rehearseable.

Presence is not magic.
Rapport is not chemistry.
Engagement is not only task design.

They are part of the craft of teaching — and craft can be developed.

Read the article here: [insert article link]

And if these questions interest you, join the free Performative ELT Community, where we explore the embodied, relational and performative dimensions of teaching in more depth:

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



http://teachingartistry.com/2026/05/12/can-presence-be-taught/

Can Presence Be Taught? Towards a Performative Framework for ELT Teaching Artistry. If we can assess rapport, presence and engagement, we should also be able to help teachers develop them. This may sound obvious. But in t…