We are now well into the start of the new academic year, and I'm really excited to see so many people learning English—both in and out of the classroom—with the help of the new products we have created.
At Pearson we want to become the world’s leading destination for committed English learners. To do this, we are always looking to innovate and improve our customers' experience and enable them to measure their learning progress.
And innovation is at the very heart of our new game-changing platform Pearson English Connect, coming live this autumn.
Learners and teachers will be able to access this platform from anywhere, at any time, in highly communicative and interactive ways all from one place. Learning can take place on a laptop, phone or tablet—whether sitting on the sofa, in a café, or in the classroom.
The virtual classroom includes breakout rooms, chat, online whiteboard and a 'live questions' feature. Teachers can upload and assign their own created content which means they can personalize lessons to best meet their students' needs.
As we have found over the last two and a half years, being able to teach and learn anywhere has never been more relevant since the pandemic changed people's expectations about how and where they work and learn, which for many has become increasingly remote.
Over the summer we also announced another exciting product launch, which sees the evolution of Pearson English International Certificate to an online direct-to-consumer test.
This International Certificate, formerly known as PTE General, is our world class proficiency test designed to meet the needs of 21st century test-takers, employers and universities.
This online version puts learners in control of their test-taking experience and gives them the flexibility to book and take their test from their own home while maintaining the option of going to a test centre if they prefer.
At home, candidates undertake a simple yet highly secure check-in process, utilizing ID verification tools, face-matching technology, and a live proctor. What we expect in return is that they have access to a reliable internet connection, a computer with a webcam, and a quiet location to take the test.
We have seen uptake of the International Certificate by students in 30 countries to help them get where they want to be—whether that is starting at a domestic college or getting the job they want.
I look forward to the continued success of these products, they really help each one of our learners “Be themselves in English!”
Gio Giovannelli, President English Language Learning at Pearson
