Every teacher or learner who joined this project brought their own experiences, doubts and hopes for Cornish teaching, and along the way, many shared moments of real transformation. These weren’t dramatic breakthroughs, but small, powerful shifts that changed how people thought about their classes and their own confidence as teachers.
Some participants described the excitement of discovering a new activity or teaching idea that suddenly opened up fresh possibilities for their lessons. One teacher said they felt “genuinely thrilled” at how a simple change in approach made learners speak more, smile more and take more risks in Cornish. Another spoke about how seeing clear, practical examples of communicative teaching “made everything click” in a way it never had before.
Others found that carefully guided use of AI kept small, human-centred and firmly within teacher control and gave them the courage to try something new. One participant even said that having these tools to lighten the load and structure lessons “made me feel ready to teach” when they previously weren’t sure they could. For several teachers, the combination of shared reflection, supportive discussion and small, useful tools helped turn uncertainty into real confidence.
This section gathers stories like these: honest, grounded moments where teachers felt something shift in their lessons, their thinking, or their sense of what they could do. Some are short reflections; some are fuller accounts; and, with permission, we’ll also include brief videos that bring these moments to life.
The aim isn’t to celebrate “perfect” teaching. It’s to recognise the lived experience of Cornish teachers finding new strength, new ideas and new confidence, and to show how even small changes in classroom practice can help more people use Cornish with pride in the community.
Teacher's stories'
Reactions to using AI after the 5th workshop
Teacher 1
“Oh my God, I love it.”
“It takes away some of the legwork … It’s like having another person that can just give you ideas.”
“I wouldn’t want it to give me everything … What I would use it for is ‘I want to do an activity, what do you suggest?’ ”
Teacher 2
“It’s only since doing this with you really that I’ve realised that we’re not doing enough totally in the target language.”
“I’m trying to instigate more… like the tea and coffee break — you have to ask for it in Cornish.”