Episode 5. Isla McIntosh and Alasdair Harris Ai, Engagement and LingoTeach.ai

Guests: Isla McIntosh & Alasdair Harris

In this episode of The Language Lab, we speak to two people at very different ends of their teaching journeys — and both with powerful perspectives on what the future of language education might look like.

First, Will catches up with Isla McIntosh, a former student turned trainee teacher and music graduate. Isla shares honest reflections on student engagement, the role of wellbeing in education, and how technology is shifting what it means to be an inspiring teacher in today's classroom.

Then we dive into the world of AI with Alasdair Harris, founder of LingoTeach.ai, a platform built by teachers, for teachers. Alasdair shares how LingoTeach uses AI to dramatically reduce teacher workload, streamline lesson creation, and keep classroom content dynamic and personalized. But the conversation goes further—into digital ethics, the human side of teaching, and how to reclaim energy, creativity, and balance in a high-pressure profession.

From green screen weather forecasts to AI-generated rap battles, from mental health advocacy to the rise of classroom bots—this episode explores how teachers can stay grounded while innovating with purpose.

Links & Resources:

Our Website: www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk

Try LingoTeach: https://lingoteach.ai/

Music Credit:“Jump and Jive” by All Good Folks via Uppbeat – Copyright Free Music for Creators uppbeat.io