Preparing learners to thrive in a changing world
Learner resources
This section highlights the Cambridge resources available now from the Leading, learning and teaching with Cambridge ↗ section of our website. These will help teachers and school leaders start putting into practice what they have learned from the report.
Ready for the future?
Active learning
Active learning involves learners participating in the learning process by building knowledge and understanding through activities intentionally designed by their teachers to engage them in constructing knowledge.
This approach is important because active engagement develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for adapting to a rapidly changing world. Explore more about active learning in our education brief, Getting Started guide, podcast and animation:
Inclusive education
Inclusive education ensures all learners – regardless of their cultural background, language, socio-economic status, additional learning needs, disabilities or any other factors – have access to meaningful and supportive learning. It focuses on removing barriers so that every child can reach their full potential.
A key part of this is recognising neurodiversity – the natural variation in how brains function and process information. This includes autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or dyslexia. Neurodiversity-aware teaching uses flexible approaches that remove barriers and build on each learner’s strengths and needs.
It is important to foster collaborative, respectful learning environments in school and to prepare learners to thrive in diverse, inclusive workplaces in the future. Explore this further in our Neurodiversity podcast part 1 and part 2, and the Getting Started With Inclusive Education guide:
Learner wellbeing
Learner wellbeing encompasses how individuals feel and function cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally within the learning environment, including recognising and managing emotions, and engaging in purposeful activities that support healthy development.
Supporting wellbeing ensures learners are resilient, motivated and mentally ready to navigate future personal and professional challenges.
Explore more through our Wellbeing animation and Learner Wellbeing education brief:
Subject knowledge and skills
AI in the classroom
AI in the classroom involves using artificial intelligence tools and platforms – such as online resources, AI-driven teaching assistants and learning analytics – to enhance and support effective teaching and personalised learning.
Integrating AI prepares learners to interact with emerging technologies and harness digital tools that will shape future workplaces.
To explore our recommended key principles and practical strategies, see our Getting Started With AI in the Classroom guide:
Climate change education
Climate change education involves teaching the causes, impacts and responses to climate change, emphasising real-world relevance and active learning strategies to empower learners to understand and act.
This practice equips children with essential knowledge about global challenges and the skills to think critically and creatively about solutions. An interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary approach to climate change education helps learners recognise how science, geography, economics and ethics connect, encouraging them to make interdisciplinary links.
For further insight, explore our Getting Started With Climate Change Education guide, and listen to our podcasts on Teaching the Climate Emergency and Global Perspectives approaches to climate change:
Communication and interpersonal skills
Bilingual learners
Supporting bilingual learners through language awareness nurtures their cultural identity and self-confidence, empowering them to value their unique voices and engage confidently in diverse learning environments and communities.
Bilingual learners benefit from using two or more languages, which enhances not only cognitive flexibility but also their ability to navigate diverse social and cultural contexts. By developing skills in multiple languages, learners become more adept at understanding different perspectives and communicating across cultures – an essential skill in today’s globalised world.
This practice also supports confidence in social interactions, helping learners overcome potential challenges such as social anxiety linked to language barriers and promoting inclusive, empathetic communication. We emphasise that nurturing bilingualism prepares learners to engage meaningfully in multicultural workplaces and societies.
To explore this further, see our Bilingual Learners education brief.
Language awareness
Language awareness develops learners’ ability to consciously reflect on how language functions in different settings and how it shapes communication and meaning. This metalinguistic understanding fosters greater sensitivity to tone, context and audience, which is critical for effective interpersonal communication.
With the rise of digital communication, including social media where misinterpretation is common, language awareness helps learners navigate and manage interactions thoughtfully and respectfully, reducing conflicts and misunderstandings. We highlight that this skill is vital for building respectful dialogue and managing diverse social situations in their future personal and professional lives.
Learn more in our Getting Started With Language Awareness guide:
Oracy
Oracy, the ability to use spoken language clearly and confidently, is central to developing strong communication and social skills. Through structured speaking and listening activities, learners build the confidence to express ideas, negotiate meaning and participate in discussions – even in situations that might provoke fear of disagreement or conflict.
In an era dominated by digital devices and online interactions, oracy encourages face-to-face communication skills and emotional intelligence, helping learners manage social anxiety and develop empathy. We believe that oracy equips learners to collaborate effectively and lead in varied social and professional contexts, preparing them for future success.
To deepen your understanding, explore our Oracy animation, read the Oracy education brief, and access the Getting Started With Oracy guide:
Self-management skills
Play-based learning
Play-based learning is an educational approach that uses play as the primary method for learning, encouraging exploration, creativity, problem-solving and social interaction in a developmentally appropriate way.
Play-based learning supports self-management by allowing learners to practise decision-making, regulate emotions and collaborate with others, all of which build resilience and adaptability essential for future success.
To explore this further, see our Getting Started With Play-Based Learning guide:
Behaviour for learning
Behaviour for learning focuses on developing learners’ behaviours in relation to themselves, others and the curriculum, fostering positive attitudes, engagement and readiness to learn.
Developing positive behaviours for learning helps students cultivate self-discipline, motivation and social skills, which are foundational for effective self-regulation and lifelong academic and personal achievement.
Learn more through our Behaviour for Learning podcast and Behaviour for Learning education brief:
Metacognition
Metacognition involves learners being aware of and regulating their own thinking and learning processes by planning, monitoring, evaluating, and adjusting strategies to become more effective and independent learners.
Metacognitive skills enhance learners’ ability to self-regulate by encouraging reflection and strategic thinking, empowering them to adapt and succeed in complex and evolving future environments.
For additional insights, watch our Metacognition animation, read the Metacognition education brief, and consult the Getting Started With Metacognition guide: