All of the team at the Pilgrims Teacher Trainer Journal are delighted to send 25th birthday greetings to our ‘younger sister’ magazine Pilgrims Humanising Language Teaching and to the editor Hanna Kryszewska. It has been 25 years of a festival of humanising language teaching and learning through the pages of HLT and we look forward to, at least, another 25 years of creativity and humanism.

The Teacher Trainer Journal is the ‘elder sister’ of HLT first published in 1987 edited by Tessa Woodward and supported by Marion Nicholson as a practical journal for those involved in modern language, especially TESOL, teacher training, teacher education and mentoring. The Pilgrims Teacher Trainer was published initially as a print journal and from 2006 also in digital format.  Until 2021 the journal was a paid for subscriptions published three times a year and contained articles on all aspects of teacher training around the world featuring practical ideas for teacher observation and feedback, ideas on livening up input sessions, tips on using new technologies, as well as teacher training book and article reviews.

Tessa and Marian ensured a fantastic unique experience for teacher trainers and teacher educators through the TTJ. In 2021 Tessa and Marian moved forward to other experiences and Phil Dexter has been pleased to take forward the editing of the journal which is now digital only and free to access published four times a year. The journal can be accessed and at https://pilgrimsttj.com and we have a rich back archive that you can find here .

Both publications are very much the public face of Pilgrims Language Courses showcasing the excellence in humanism and inclusive approaches to English language teaching and training. Of course, both publications would probably never have existed were it not for the enthusiasm, encouragement and inspiration of Mario Rinvolucri – sometimes known as ‘Mr Pilgrims’! 

In these 25and 37 years through the life of both publications our ELT profession has experienced many tumultuous changes in approaches to methodology – too many to mention here though is expressed and evidenced through the articles, interviews. activities, videos in both publications. We will continue to be at the forefront of new developments encouraging innovation and creativity relevant to teachers and trainers across the world based on evidence informed approaches. 

Long may we continue to be at the cutting edge of new developments – and we will be so!

Once again Happy Birthday to Humanising Language Teaching.

Phil Dexter

Editor Pilgrims Teacher Trainer Journal

phil.dexter@pilgrimsttj.com