Research and Insights
Everything we do is shaped by your needs; so together we have a bigger impact on the lives of your learners
We care deeply about what's important to you, your institutions and your learners. We're constantly striving to improve learner confidence, progress and performance. We also want to support your professional development. That's why we measure impact and effectiveness. Our teams of experts do this throughout learning and teaching journeys.
We combine technological innovation (such as advances in AI) with centuries of expertise. By doing this, we're able to provide ever more effective learning experiences. These can adapt to your learners' personal needs.
Shaping the future
We shape the future of learning and assessing English. We do this by combining innovation, our university partnership and the breadth and depth of our research.
Our expertise and university partnership
We have dedicated, in-house research teams. Our experts specialise in language learning, assessment and educational research for English.
We also work with leading experts within the University of Cambridge and beyond.
Driving innovation
Learning, teaching and assessing English will always evolve. We’re committed to being at the forefront of change.
Our experts use research to harness the power of digital advancements, like AI. This helps us create the best and most ethical learning experiences possible.
The latest in assessments
Our English assessments accurately reflect every learner’s level and progress. Driven by research, they combine quality and reliability with cutting edge technology. They also align with international standards.
Backed by our research, you can be confident that our assessments are of the highest quality. You also know that they're fair, and are reliable.
We offer the latest in assessments. These align with the CEFR and are authentic to real-life English. They also accurately identify the progress that learners make.
Helping learners achieve
Our research helps your learners achieve their goals. We care about finding the most effective ways to teach and learn. This means that your learners gain the skills, qualifications and confidence needed for their future.
Understanding and evaluating how learning happens
We uncover the most effective ways to both teach and learn.
We go beneath the surface, learning from teachers and learners across the world. This provides important insights about the learning process. We also get to see first-hand how our products perform in the real-world.
Developing skills through English
Our world is changing fast. We need to prepare students with skills and experiences beyond simply learning English.
Our research-backed resources, frameworks and products support learners to develop skills for life. These include those they need to achieve their goals. For example, we support learners with wellbeing and emotional development. We also cover employability, creative and critical thinking, and communication skills.
Understanding and evaluating how learning happens
We uncover the most effective ways to both teach and learn.
We go beneath the surface, learning from teachers and learners across the world. This provides important insights about the learning process. We also get to see first-hand how our products perform in the real-world.
Effective learning
No two classrooms or learners are ever the same. We need our products to work well for all learners and teachers, no matter their circumstances.
We want everything we make and do to be effective and enjoyable for as many people as possible. Our research helps us do this.
Improving learning & measuring our impact
Knowing that the exams your students sit, or the learning materials you teach with really work is important to us and everyone we work with.
That's why our teams enhance our learning experiences by working with partners around the world to make sure they are effective.
Effective learning
No two classrooms or learners are ever the same, and we need our products to work well for all learners and teachers, no matter their circumstances.
We also know that the ability to see and understand your progress is at the centre of a great learning experience. Our products give ample opportunities to see progress, and utilise it in the next lesson or task. Insights from our research make this possible.
Digital pedagogy
We help teachers use technology and digital learning materials as effectively as possible. We want to understand how technology can help your students learn. To do this we work with our experts, researchers, and teachers so you can use technology and digital learning materials as effectively as possible.
Our digital materials are built on the latest research into second language learning. Our commitment to research lets us deliver useful guidance that improves the learning experience and supports your learners' digital literacy.
Integrating learning and assessment
Good teaching means supporting your students as they progress. It also means providing them with feedback that helps them improve. That's why we've combined our expertise in English language learning and assessment design. It allows us to create products that give teachers and learners the tools they need.
Our products help you track your students' progress and identify where they need extra help. We also offer personalised learning experiences, tailored to each student's individual needs. These have been shown to increase learner engagement and improve learning outcomes.
Providing real-time, targeted feedback helps students identify their strengths and challenges, supporting them with their own learning.
The Cambridge English Curriculum Framework
Learning English is complex and multi dimensional.
That's why we use the Cambridge English Curriculum Framework (CECF).
The CECF breaks down the challenge of learning English. It creates thousands of small, manageable elements. These elements are carefully tagged and organised. We can then relate them to a range of real - world language learning contexts.
By unpacking the process of learning English in this way, we can tell learners more about their progress.
For example, what they have achieved so far, where they
are now, and what they can do next to maximise their success.
The CECF also underpins exciting developments in new products, technology, and digital tools.
The CECF isn’t a ready-made curriculum in itself. Our teaching and learning materials bring it to life. They do this by applying it to real-world language-learning contexts. This helps create a language-learning journey that is supported by course materials and assessment - all linked together in a single ecosystem.
The Cambridge English Curriculum Framework is the result of years of research.
It builds on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the English Profile Programme.
Principles for inclusivity
Creating products that reflect our diverse world is vital. That's why we have produced comprehensive internal EDIB (Equality, diversity, inclusion, belonging) guidelines. The guidelines are the result of extensive research. They support our internal staff and consultants to create diverse and inclusive content.
Accessible learning
Removing barriers to those with disabilities and additional learning needs improves the user experience for everyone,
and empowers all learners to take part in our educational experiences.
We are developing new best practice guidelines for our product teams across our print and digital materials. Our key digital learning platforms also follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 Level AA).
Specific Learning Difficulties
We have produced a research paper on Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs). This outlines terminology and the effects of SpLDs when learning another language. It also includes effective approaches for teaching learners with SpLDs.
Knowing that the exams your students sit, or the learning materials you teach with really work is important to us and everyone we work with.
Cambridge English Corpus
The language in our teaching materials is guaranteed to be relevant and up to date.
We use our world-leading Cambridge English Corpus across our products. This means that we teach learners useful, current language. It's also language that they will encounter every day in their lives.
We use the corpus to observe and track how language is changing. It also helps us identify common learner errors and problems. This helps support learners' individual needs - because every learner is different.
What is a corpus?
A corpus is a massive electronic collection of spoken and written English examples. We use our corpus to answer questions about English vocabulary, grammar and usage. This works in a similar way to how you might look for information using a search engine.
How does a corpus work?
We gather data from a huge range of speakers and writers of English. This means we can identify the typical use of words and phrases.
These frequent words and patterns are the ones we include in our courses. They're based on evidence drawn from a huge sample of language and not on the values or intuition of one person.
The Cambridge Learner Corpus
We collect and analyse learner writing and we have an unparalleled collection. This allows us to see how learners around the world acquire and use language. We can then analyse how they're similar and where there are differences.
This helps us provide tailored and comprehensive support to groups of similar learners. For example, those with the same first language or who are at the same level in their learning.
Our corpus in action
Here are a couple of examples of how the Cambridge English Corpus improves our content. This includes making it more accurate and up to date.
THiNK
The "Get it right" sections in THiNK show our corpus data in action. They alert learners and teachers when learners are statistically more likely to encounter difficulties. This is based on findings from the Cambridge Learner Corpus.
Evolve Digital
Both Evolve and Evolve Digital are Corpus-informed. A new functional language corpus (Funclang) was initiated for use in the courses.
Grammar and Beyond
In Grammar and Beyond, concrete and useful points discovered through analysis of corpus data take students beyond traditional information, and teach them how grammar is used in authentic situations.
Knowing that the exams your students sit, or the learning materials you teach with really work is important to us and everyone we work with.
Improving learning & measuring our impact
Knowing that the exams your students sit, or the learning materials you teach with really work is important to us and everyone we work with.
That's why our teams enhance our learning experiences by working with partners around the world to make sure they are effective.
The work you do transforms the lives of your learners. That's why your thoughts, feelings, ideas and outcomes are at the heart of our products and services. They're also part of how we design and improve them. So we can support you to help your learners be the best they can be.
We want our products to have the greatest impact. That's why we monitor and measure their outcomes on teaching, learning and assessment. We do this in real classrooms around the world.
Understanding what works for our teachers and learners
We're committed to understanding the impact of our products. This includes their impact on learners, teachers, and the wider education system. That's why we conduct impact monitoring and evaluation at all levels. We want to know about their impact in the classroom, and to the education system as a whole.
We collect data from a variety of stakeholders. This includes learners, parents, teachers, decision-makers, Ministries of Education, higher education institutions, and employers. We gather our impact evidence from a number of sources. For example, from surveys, learner performance data and classroom observations. We also look at learner diaries, and gather stakeholder insights.
This helps us to get a full picture of the impact of our products throughout the learning journey. This means we can make sure that they are having the biggest possible impact on learners in the future.
Impact by design
We use our Impact by Design approach to make sure our products have a positive impact on our customers from the start.
Our English language learning and assessment products are created with their intended positive impact in mind. We then monitor and evaluate them on an ongoing basis. This delivers real benefits for learners and teachers.
Cambridge English Impact Framework
We use the Cambridge English Impact Framework to carry out our monitoring and evaluation. The framework covers three key areas: Learning, Teaching and Assessment.
We focus on multiple points within these areas when monitoring impact. These include:
- Motivation and engagement
- Learner and teacher confidence
- Improvement in English language proficiency
- Learning gains
Improving learning and assessment
The data that we collect lets us improve our products and provide a better experience for our learners and teachers.
Because every educational setting is different, we provide practical recommendations tailored to the unique needs of our users. For example, when working with schools we may suggest ways of refining teaching methods, adjusting learning materials, or adapting different assessment strategies.
Our recommendations empower educators with practical, context-specific solutions that lead to better learning and assessment outcomes. Our commitment is to use the data that we collect to make positive changes in the classroom.
Our world is changing fast. We need to prepare students with skills and experiences beyond simply learning English.
Developing skills through English
Our world is changing fast. We need to prepare students with skills and experiences beyond simply learning English.
Our research-backed resources, frameworks and products support learners to develop skills for life. These include those they need to achieve their goals. For example, we support learners with wellbeing and emotional development. We also cover employability, creative and critical thinking, and communication skills.
Supporting life competencies
We created the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework to help you support learners to develop key skills. We call these Competencies. They include creative thinking, critical thinking and communication in the language classroom.
Language classrooms are engaging and collaborative. This makes them the perfect place to develop these skills. It's why the Framework is designed to be practical and is grounded in classroom practice.
Sustainability in English language teaching
As teachers and educators, you play an important role in your learners lives. This includes helping them develop the skills they need to flourish.
Sustainability can bring conversations of local and global interest into the classroom. These can help learners to use English to discuss real-world issues. They can also support them to develop the skills to live more sustainably. For example, becoming more responsible citizens. Or, playing an active part in shaping their worlds.
That's why we've developed the Sustainability Framework for ELT. It makes it easier for you to integrate sustainability skills into your lessons. It is a way of understanding the different skills learners need to become informed, compassionate, and innovative agents for positive environmental, social, and economic transformation.
Employability skills
Employability is about more than having the right qualifications or technical skills. To be successful in the workplace, you also need to develop transferable core skills. You also need the right attitude.
That's why we developed our Employability Skills Framework for ELT. It can help you understand the different skills that employees and potential employees need to develop. This is in addition to learning English.
The framework is based on extensive research into employer needs. It's also aligned with the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework. It provides a map of the most important employability skills. This can help you gain a deeper understanding of each skill. It can also help you integrate them more systematically into your teaching.
Mediation
Mediation is the skill of using reading, writing, listening, and speaking to communicate information from one person or group to another. It is identified in the CEFR Companion Volume as a valuable skill in many contexts, such as summarising a discussion task for a teacher, or distilling and condensing information for colleagues. Mediation can also serve cross-linguistic social purposes, such as interpreting a conversation between speakers of different first languages.
Cambridge coursebooks frequently employ tasks that require paraphrasing, note-taking, and group discussion. These tasks help learners develop the skill of mediation by giving them opportunities to practice transferring information from one format to another, and to collaborate with others to achieve a common goal.
Oracy - Improving communication skills
Oracy is the ability to communicate effectively through spoken language. It's a key area of development in our most popular coursebooks.
We have harnessed the research that went into the Oracy Skills Framework's development. We're using it to support teachers and learners. This includes helping them to understand physical, linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional skills. These allow for successful discussion, inspiring speech and effective communication.
Our coursebooks help learners to practice these skills in many contexts. We also offer teacher resources. These provide guidance on helping your students to effectively build their oracy skills.
To see a course that fully utilises oracy, take a look at our Cambridge Primary Path.
We have dedicated, in-house research teams. Our experts specialise in language learning, assessment and educational research for English.
Cambridge Life Competencies Framework
Why do we need a Life Competencies Framework?
Our world is changing all the time and we can support our students to build skills and experiences beyond learning an additional language. At Cambridge, we understand that the engaging and collaborative nature of the language classroom provides an ideal context to develop and embed these key qualities.
We work with educators and researchers to understand how these skills – Cambridge Life Competencies – can integrate seamlessly into your English language programme.
What does the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework look like?
The Framework outlines six key areas of Competency that are important for development: Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Learning to Learn, Communication, Collaboration and Social Responsibilities.
These Competency areas are linked to three foundation layers – emotional development, digital literacy and subject knowledge. Foundation layers are not separate Competencies. They underpin and weave through all the Competencies.
The Framework gives a complete view of transferable skills, all detailed within one system, and shows how these skills develop across different stages of the learning journey.
By clearly defining these core areas of development we can ensure that our teaching and learning materials take a comprehensive approach to delivering and developing these skills in our learners as they progress. This means that teachers can be assured that our resources bring out the best in their students.
The framework groups the life skills we want students to develop into six main competencies with three foundational layers (Emotional Development, Digital Literacy and Discipline Knowledge) that weave through all of these skills.
| Competency | Core areas |
| Creative Thinking | Preparing for creativity Generating ideas Implementing ideas and solving problems |
| Learning to Learn | Developing skills and strategies for learning Taking control of own learning Reflecting on and evaluating learning |
| Collaboration | Taking personal responsibility for own contribution to a group task Encouraging effective group interaction Managing the sharing of tasks in a group activity Working towards task completion |
| Critical Thinking | Understanding and analysing ideas and arguments Evaluating ideas and arguments Solving problems and making decisions |
| Communication | Using appropriate language and register for context Facilitating interactions Participating with appropriate confidence and clarity |
| Social Responsibilities | Understanding personal responsibilities as part of a group Showing intercultural awareness Understanding global issues |
The Framework was originally based on research focused on neurotypical expressions of Competencies, as awareness of neurodiversity was more limited at the time. When using the Framework, it’s important to stay flexible and recognise that learners may show Competencies in many valid and different ways.
How do we use it in our products?
The Framework is used as a basis for our curriculum design. The content, texts and activities in our learning materials bring out key skills such as collaboration and critical thinking in our learners, while teaching them about language more generally.
This means that our materials enable learners to develop these skills without teachers having to completely change their approach or do anything extra.
How does it benefit learners and teachers?
The Framework describes how these integral life skills vary across different stages of education, as learners grow and change. This means that we understand what learners need to do to progress and develop.
Each broad Competency is broken down into 'Can Do' statements that describe the observable behaviours that learners are likely to be able to demonstrate by the end of each stage of learning. This enables us to support learners right through their learning journey and into their future.
How did we develop it?
Our research-driven perspective combined with knowledge from classroom practice has helped us create a framework that is rigorous and robust. Our extensive analysis of existing approaches to life skills combined with input from educators from around the world means that the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework fits seamlessly into your language classroom in a useful and practical way.
The Competencies
What do you need to know?
The Cambridge Life Competencies Framework helps us to structure how we introduce these skills to our learners.
Find out more about each skill area by downloading the competency-specific guides below. Or, if you prefer to focus on a particular stage of learning, please choose the booklet that best reflects the age that you teach.
Download your free pack of activity cards for use in the classroom, including adaptations for online learning
We’ve created a pack of cards for each stage of learning, and each individual card tackles a component from one of the core Cambridge Life Competencies. The activities are designed for you to use together with your coursebook or teaching materials. Use them to tweak or supplement tasks, and seamlessly integrate the development of learners’ life competencies into your teaching practice.
Key themes in education and the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework
The Cambridge Life Competencies Framework consists of Competencies that are strongly related to key themes in education such as:
- AI literacy
- Global citizenship
- Mediation and translanguaging
- Oracy
- Sustainability
- Wellbeing
When learners work on the Competencies in the Framework, they also build the skills, knowledge and attitudes connected to these themes. All Competencies support every theme.
It might not always be clear how each theme links to the Framework. To make this easier, a mini booklet has been created for each theme showing which skills relate to it and how they appear in the Framework. The themes are also highlighted on the activity cards.
We have dedicated, in-house research teams. Our experts specialise in language learning, assessment and educational research for English.
Shaping the future
We shape the future of learning and assessing English. We do this by combining innovation, our university partnership and the breadth and depth of our research.
Our expertise
We have dedicated, in-house research teams. Our experts specialise in language learning, assessment and educational research for English.
We also work with leading experts within the University of Cambridge and beyond.
Driving innovation
Learning, teaching and assessing English will always evolve. We’re committed to being at the forefront of change.
Our experts use research to harness the power of digital advancements, like AI. This helps us create the best and most ethical learning experiences possible.
Our expertise
We have dedicated, in-house research teams. Our experts specialise in language learning, assessment and educational research for English.
They conduct research and develop innovative tools, frameworks and resources. These help us to better understand and support teaching, learning and assessment.
Our expertise
Our expertise underpins a learner's whole journey. This includes their first experiences of learning English, through to gaining a certificate in language proficiency. It then helps them to use their skills socially, in work, to study or to travel.
We have over a century of research into language learning and assessment. We use this when developing our products. It ensures that our learning materials are effective and our tests are fair and accurate. It also supports our digital technologies and psychometrics. This means they are tailored to a learner's needs.
Our university partnership
We're a department of the University of Cambridge. We work with leading experts within the University and beyond. This means we're at the forefront of the latest educational research and thinking. The best and latest educational expertise, ideas and findings shape our products.
We have over 800 years of world renowned research, expertise and experience. This has provided unique insights. We use these to shape our exams and learning experiences - which could only come from Cambridge.
The expectations set by the University of Cambridge don’t stop in the colleges that fill the city. They're in everything we do and everything we make. Those standards ensure you receive the products and service you expect. These are recognised around the world and delivered by a team that you can trust.
Learning, teaching and assessing English will always evolve. We're committed to being at the forefront of change.
Advances in technology
We live in a time of change with the emergence of AI and other technological breakthroughs. We make sure, through research, that we integrate any new technology in our products where it adds value to the learning experience.
AI
Generative AI is developing at a breathtaking pace. It will have a profound impact on education, including English language teaching, learning and assessment. We are excited by the possibilities that generative AI offers. For example, how it can make language education more effective and more accessible. We also understand anxieties around AI and digital assessment and have investigated concerns.
We are committed to using technology to enhance, not limit, English language learning.
Innovative assessments: eye tracking
Learners are becoming more familiar with the choice of paper-based and online tests. We need to explore more about how different formats can enrich test-taking and assessment.
For example, eye-tracking can measure the responses of test-takers when reading. This can reveal cognitive processes to learners that they may not have been aware of. These could potentially change and improve their study habits. We are currently investigating this as a strong contender for future language assessment.
Learning through gaming
Games-based learning is proven to maximise engagement and motivation. That's why we're using the latest research to develop exciting new games. These will help your students learn English without even realising it.
Our research has responded to the popularity of video games to help people learn English. We have developed game-based tests that create an immersive environment and engage learners. They do this without sacrificing the authenticity, self-motivation, skill practice, and sense of purpose of classroom-based tasks.
Combining human and digital marking
Automated marking has moved on from simply checking multiple-choice answers. Our algorithms now use the latest machine-learning techniques to mark written and spoken responses. However, experienced human examiners are still essential for quality control and marking elements such as spoken interaction.
Overall, this hybrid approach means learners can trust the grades they receive.
We offer the latest in assessments that are authentic to real-life English. They align with the CEFR and accurately identify the progress that learners make.
The latest in assessments
Backed by our research, you can be confident that our assessments are of the highest quality. You also know that they're fair, and are reliable.
We offer the latest in assessments that are authentic to real-life English. They align with the CEFR and accurately identify the progress that learners make.
Assessing real-life language
A good language test can influence university admission and employment. It can also have a positive impact on the classroom. Our research has shown that teaching communicative competence in English encourages students to use target language more often in their learning. This prepares them for using it it real-life situations. It can also improve their motivation. Tests of communicative competence encourage and respond to this.
Many tasks resemble real-life situations and using English outside the classroom. Others are designed to trigger the processes required when reacting to visual, audio, or conversation stimuli. These support language skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
By using authentic tasks, our language tests can help students develop the skills they need to use English in real-world situations. We've found that this can make them more confident and motivated learners. In turn this can lead to better outcomes in the classroom and beyond.
Fit for purpose - different tests for different learners or test takers
Language learning is a journey. This is one of many reasons why we align our assessments with the CEFR scales. These define what learners can do at a particular stage of learning a language, allowing us to efficiently target tests to specific levels of proficiency. They also enable progression to the next level.
We research language abilities required for particular professions. This means we can design tests to assess certain skills for professional registration. For example, our Linguaskill Business English test assesses the language skills required for a variety of workplace roles.
We want our assessments to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their age, background, or learning style. That's why we offer a variety of assessments at different levels and in appropriate formats.
Test accommodations for different needs
Where and how a test is presented is an important consideration for test providers. Failing to recognise the differing access needs of test-takers could affect test fairness. We strive to allow students with disabilities, special education needs, and injuries access to tests without reducing the fairness and validity of the assessment.
We have compared results from special and standard test requirements to investigate the impact of test accommodations. We found that neither had an unfair advantage. In fact, test accommodations allowed for a level playing field for the students.
Digital assessments
Technology has opened up new opportunities for language testing. This enables innovative formats, breaking down geographical boundaries and content which reflects modern communication.
Advances in technology enable some assessments to be taken on mobile devices. AI also enables tools like Write&Improve to provide instant, actionable feedback on learners' writing.
Our research continues to investigate digital technology and AI within learning and assessment while considering newer ethical issues and cheating.
Alignment with international frameworks
We align our qualifications with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and other international frameworks.
This serves three purposes. First, it lets us define levels of language proficiency and create a clear pathway for improvement. Second, it creates a universal reference point for language learners. Third, it helps employers and educational institutions interpret our qualifications, and measure them against others.
Over the last thirty years we have helped to develop the CEFR alongside a wide range of language experts and teaching practitioners. By aligning with the CEFR, you can be confident that our tests are fair and reliable.
Cambridge English Scale
The Cambridge English Scale was developed to provide a clear and comprehensive way to report test scores. Each qualification is measured against a CEFR level, and a score is also given for each part of the test. This means results that are easily understood by international institutions, teachers, and researchers.
Candidates receive CEFR and Cambridge English Scale scores in their statement of results. This can help them understand their strengths and where they need to improve to move up a level.
We're committed to quality
Our commitment to quality is underpinned by our Principles of Good Practice. We use these principles to make sure our research and assessments meet international standards. For example ISO 9001 and the ALTE Q-Mark. We provide data for users so they can personally evaluate our exam reliability.
We're committed to quality in everything we do. We have a rigorous management system. This oversees the design, development, and delivery of our examinations, assessment services, and teaching qualifications. We regularly audit our departments, analyse risks, and define tightly controlled processes for test development. This makes sure that our products are consistently fit for purpose.
Our research papers
By carrying out research into what works best for teachers and learners we make sure that everything we do is underpinned and improved by evidence.
We deliver insights from cutting-edge research in useful and practical guidance that teachers can use in their teaching.
Scroll down the page to see our full range of Cambridge papers.
Cambridge Papers in English Language Education
Unlock the latest insights with Cambridge Papers in English Language Education—your gateway to in-depth research and analysis in the world of English language teaching and assessment. Our papers provide the comprehensive information you need to evaluate how our research and products align with current scientific thinking. Our latest research will help you stay informed, make evidence-based decisions, and contribute to the future of English language education.
Remotely delivered language assessment
Learn about what makes it fit for purpose
Ethical AI for language learning and assessment
Learn more about the key principles for ethical AI
What the PISA FLA means for English language education
Learn more about the study and the impact that results will have
Our Principles of Language Learning
The design of our courses and learning materials is underpinned by the Cambridge Principles of Language Learning. These principles have been distilled from a wide range of research into second language acquisition, which analyses the impact of different approaches on language learning. From this research, we have identified key principles that form the basis of all our learning materials.
Practical outcomes of pedagogical research
Our commitment to research enables us to deliver useful and practical guidance that teachers can use to promote research-informed practices.
We develop frameworks and approaches that teachers can integrate into their teaching; they enable teachers to select the most relevant research for their own practices that is right for their students. We also publish research papers that provide insight into the research behind current issues and trends in ELT, practical ideas to implement in classrooms.
We offer the latest in assessments that are authentic to real-life English. They align with the CEFR and accurately identify the progress that learners make.
Generative AI and Language Education: Opportunities, Challenges and the Need for Critical Perspectives
A year and a half after the release of ChatGPT, the first widely available Generative AI (GenAI) tool, Cambridge looks at the opportunities and challenges of GenAI in the English classroom.
Along with some insightful background, the paper offers:
- practical tips and guidelines for developing policies for classrooms around the world
essential principles to help you answer the big questions:
○ When should GenAI be used in the classroom?
○ What are the concerns and risks around GenAI?
○ How can we stay ahead of GenAI?
- the global context
- a helpful glossary of key terminology
- a quick history of AI, which has its origins in the 1940's!
Exploring the Impact of Generative AI on Language Education: Insights from Teachers
The focus of this paper provides guidance to teachers through reporting of research insights gathered from a global group of English language teachers on their practices and concerns around using GenAI. It also recommends a framework to guide language teachers in using GenAI in a principled and impactful way.
Key highlights include:
- 71% of teachers use GenAI in their teaching, with 40% using it on a weekly basis and 31% monthly.
- 8 out of 10 (84%) educators believe that GenAI can usefully complement teaching and as such can be integrated with the teacher's role.
- 2 out of 3 (67%) teachers reported that GenAI provided them with new insights and perspectives they had not thought of on their own.
- Educators expressed a strong desire for training and continuous learning, with 85% reporting enthusiasm to learn more about GenAI in the context of their teaching roles, with private school teachers responding most positively.
The Role of AI in Language Learning: Research Evidence and Strategies for Success
Learn how different types of AI enhance personalised learning experiences by creating customised content, supporting teachers in addressing individual needs.
This research paper delves into the growing impact of Generative AI (GenAI) in education. GenAI offers exciting possibilities to personalise learning experiences and create materials tailored to students' individual needs.
Our paper emphasises that AI should empower teachers - not replace them - keeping you firmly in control. Let AI be your support, enhancing your expertise while you remain at the heart of student learning.
The paper explores how different AI tools are being used in education, covering:
- AI as a writing assistant
- AI as a conversation partner
- AI as a personalised tutor
- AI as a catalyst for motivation
Automarking in language assessment:
Key considerations for best practice
This paper explores the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English language assessment, focusing on the use of automarking systems to evaluate written essays and extended speech.
It examines the benefits of automarking, including faster marking speeds, on-demand testing, consistent performance, and integration of learning and assessment, whilst taking into consideration the common limitations associated with automarking.
Find out more about the principles for the responsible development and use of automarked tests, advocating for a hybrid human/machine approach to ensure fairness and quality. The paper also provides a case study on the use of automarking in Cambridge writing exams, and how the principles are implemented in operational conditions.
The research reflects Cambridge’s commitment to leveraging AI while maintaining rigorous assessment standards.
Get the most from every moment of learning: The power of integrating learning and assessment
Successful English teachers around the world have adopted Integrated Learning and Assessment (ILA).
Along with useful tips and guidance, this paper summarises decades of research into this teaching approach and introduces Cambridge's four-pillar approach to delivering successful ILA:
Set clear learning objectives
Collect evidence of progress
Provide actionable feedback
Provide tailored follow-up
Watch the video for our top three insights, shared by Dr Evelina Galaczi, Director of Research at Cambridge.
What the PISA FLA means for English language education
This paper, produced in collaboration with the OECD, goes behind the scenes to reveal more about the forthcoming PISA Foreign Language Assessment (FLA).
Learn more about the study itself and how it is shaped by global expertise, and the impact that the results will have on teachers, students, policy-makers and educators in the field of foreign language learning.
Discover how the PISA FLA will:
give the world unprecedented insights into what makes English language teaching and learning effective in school systems around the world - shaping how English is taught
highlight the importance of learning languages, including English, in our globalised world
create an international benchmark of English language proficiency
Ethical AI for Language Learning and Assessment
AI has the power to profoundly enhance human lives – but it must be used responsibly. To unlock its full potential, AI technologies must be safe, trustworthy, and genuinely beneficial to the people they are designed to support.
This paper sets out six key principles for ethical AI in English language learning and assessment. At the heart of our principles is the recommendation of a human-centred approach to AI: acknowledging the vital role of the human in both language attainment and quality assessment.
Our six key principles are:
AI must consistently meet human examiners’ standards
Fairness isn’t optional – it’s foundational
Data privacy and consent are non-negotiable
Transparency and explainability are key
Language learning must remain a human endeavour
Sustainability is an ethical issue
Remotely Delivered Language Assessment - What Makes It Fit for Purpose?
Remote language assessment has grown from a niche alternative to a mainstream option because it offers greater convenience, flexibility, and accessibility; but its use must be carefully balanced against challenges such as security, bias, privacy, digital inequity, and the need for strong evidence that it is fit for purpose.
This paper sets out six foundational principles for best practice to support a more evidence-based approach to remote language testing.
Our six guiding principles are:
Testing what matters
Rigorous test security
Standardised test conditions
Maintain human involvement
Fair and inclusive participation
Comparability across modes
