Teacher Development: Develop Specialist Skills & Progress Your Career
CELTA gets you into the classroom. Professional development keeps you growing once you’re there.
The longer you teach, the more specific your questions get. How do I engage teenagers who don’t want to be there? How do I teach Business English to someone who knows more about their industry than I do?
Students
Schools
Teaching Young Learners and Teens
Teaching children and teenagers is a distinct skill set. The classroom dynamics, lesson design, and energy management are all different from teaching adults.
If you’re moving into a YL role, or have been in one and want proper training to back up your experience, these courses are for you.
IH Certificate in Teaching Young Learners and Teenagers (IH CYLT)
Face-to-face, teaching practice included
A structured qualification for teachers working with children and teenagers. Covers lesson planning, classroom management, materials design, and age-appropriate methodology. Recognised across the IH network.
IH Online Course in Teaching Young Learners & Teens
Tutor-led, fully online
Structured around the real challenges of YL classrooms, motivation, behaviour, lesson pacing, and what to do when a plan falls apart. Delivered in cohorts so you’re learning alongside other teachers.
IH Very Young Learners
Face-to-face or online options
Focused training for teachers working with children aged three to six.
Early language acquisition, play-based learning, and practical classroom management strategies for the youngest students.
Specialist Teaching Skills
IH Cert. Teaching Business English
- Online with IH OTTI
Needs analysis, professional communication, materials adaptation, and how to teach learners who are already expert in their own field.
The course for teachers moving into corporate or Business English contexts.
How to Teach IELTS
- Online with IH OTTI
Understanding the test, teaching test strategies, and giving feedback that actually improves scores.
For teachers preparing students for IELTS in any context.
Introduction to Teaching CLIL
- Online with IH OTTI
Teaching subject content through English methods, materials, and planning for CLIL contexts in schools, universities, and corporate settings.
Teaching One-to-One
- Online with IH OTTI
The specific challenges and advantages of individual tuition.
Lesson planning, relationship management, pace, and how to adapt when there’s no group dynamic to rely on.
Intro to Phonology
- Self-study
How to teach pronunciation systematically, for both General English and exam preparation contexts.
Practical tools for giving effective feedback on spoken English.
SEN — Special Educational Needs
- Self-study
Practical strategies for working with learners who have dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning differences.
Accessible materials, adapted assessments, and inclusive classroom design.
Error & Correction
- Self-study
When to correct, how to correct, and how to give feedback that improves accuracy without killing confidence.
A focused course on one of the most undercoached skills in ELT.
Qualifications and Methodology
Teacher Refresher Course
Face-to-face
A structured reset for teachers who want to revisit core methodology with fresh eyes.
Practical, targeted, and immediately applicable.
IH Cert. Online Tutoring
Online
Platform management, online lesson design, student engagement in virtual environments, and how to replicate the best of face-to-face teaching online.
IH Teacher Trainer Cert.
Online
For experienced teachers who want to train other teachers.
Observation techniques, feedback frameworks, and how to support trainees through initial qualifications and ongoing development.
IH Cert. Advanced Methodology
Online
For teachers who love teaching and want to develop their theoretical knowledge and gain new insights into learning and teaching, the IH Certificate in Advanced Methodology is the best way to grow professionally.
Self-Study Options
IH Self-Study Courses for Language Teachers
Short, self-paced modules covering specific teaching challenges, available anytime, no cohort required.
Each module targets one skill or topic and can be completed around your working schedule.
Intro to Phonology
How to teach pronunciation systematically, for both General English and exam preparation contexts.
Practical tools for giving effective feedback on spoken English.
SEN — Special Educational Needs
Practical strategies for working with learners who have dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning differences.
Accessible materials, adapted assessments, and inclusive classroom design.
Error & Correction
When to correct, how to correct, and how to give feedback that improves accuracy without killing confidence. A focused course on one of the most undercoached skills in ELT.
Teen Class Management
A short, practical course targeting the specific challenge of managing teenage classes, energy, resistance, phone use, peer dynamics, and how to build a classroom culture that works.
Teen Motivation
What actually motivates teenagers to engage with language learning, and how to build it into your lessons consistently. Practical frameworks, not theory.
How IH teacher development courses are delivered
IH teacher development courses are available in two formats depending on the course.
Courses delivered through IH schools are run face-to-face or in blended format at the school itself. Dates, locations, and availability vary by school. Check individual course pages to find what is running near you or in a format that works for your schedule.
Courses delivered through IH OTTI (the IH Online Teacher Training Institute) are fully online and asynchronous. There are no compulsory live sessions. You access materials, complete tasks, and participate in discussion forums at times that suit you, alongside a cohort of teachers from around the world. In some courses there are optional live meetups where you can connect with your tutor and classmates. Group sizes are typically between 8 and 12.
For both formats, you will receive a digital certificate on successful completion.
Next Teacher Development courses Available
IH Teacher Trainer Cert. — IH OTTI
Methodology
IH OTTI
23 May 2026 - 01 Aug 2026
100% Online (Part-time)
OnlineIH Cert. Teaching Business English — IH OTTI
Methodology
IH OTTI23 May 2026 - 29 Aug 2026100% Online (Part-time) OnlineIH Teacher Trainer Cert. — IH OTTI
Methodology
IH OTTI10 Oct 2026 - 19 Dec 2026100% Online (Part-time) OnlineIH Cert. Teaching Business English — IH OTTI
Methodology
IH OTTI10 Oct 2026 - 23 Jan 2027100% Online (Part-time) OnlineIH Cert. Advanced Methodology — IH OTTI
Methodology
IH OTTI10 Oct 2026 - 30 Jan 2027100% Online (Part-time) OnlineIH Cert. Online Tutoring — IH OTTI
Methodology
IH OTTI17 Oct 2026 - 21 Nov 2026100% Online (Part-time) Online
How to choose
Start with where your students are struggling, or where your lessons feel weakest. If you’re moving into a new context young learners, business, online pick the course that closes that specific gap.
If you’re not sure, chat with us our chatbot can help you narrow it down.
Frequently Asked Questions
