UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


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                                    FORM 6-K

                        REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
                     PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                            For the month of May/2003

                                   PEARSON plc
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                       N/A

                 (Translation of registrant's name into English)

                                    80 Strand
                            London, England WC2R 0RL
                                 44-20-7010-2000
                     (Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant  files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:


       Form 20-F X                                      Form 40-F

Indicate by check mark whether the  Registrant  by  furnishing  the  information
contained  in this  Form is  also  thereby  furnishing  the  information  to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


          Yes                                             No X

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                  This Report includes the following documents:

1. A press release from Pearson plc announcing Director Shareholding


20 May 2003

RNS

The London Stock Exchange
Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1HP


Dear Sirs

                           Pearson plc (the Company)

In 1999,  the Company  established  the  Pearson  Reward Plan (the Plan) for the
purpose of providing a long term share  incentive  for  executive  directors and
senior  executives of the Pearson group.  The Plan provided for the grant of two
separate categories of award relating to ordinary shares in the Company (shares)
- Pearson Premium Option awards and Pearson Equity Incentive (PEI) awards.

The vesting level of PEI awards is dependent on the Company's performance over a
three year  period,  measured  in terms of free cash flow per  share.  On 8 June
2002,  the PEI awards  granted in 1999 vested as to 97.2 per cent. of the shares
originally  comprised  in the  award.  These  shares are  normally  subject to a
two-year retention period following vesting.  Mourant & Co. Trustees Limited, as
trustee of the  Pearson  Employee  Share  Ownership  Trust,  (the  Trust)  holds
sufficient shares to satisfy these PEI awards.

As a result  of shares  under  PEI  awards  which  vested  on 8 June 2002  being
released early to participants  leaving the Pearson group,  the number of shares
held by the Trust has reduced from 817,567 shares to 788,029 Shares.

No executive directors have called for shares under these PEI awards.

Each of the  executive  directors of the Company is, for Companies Act purposes,
regarded  as  interested  in all the  shares  held  by the  Trust.  Despite  the
technical  interest  in all the  shares  each  executive  director  will only be
entitled  to receive  from the Trust that number of shares to which he or she is
entitled  under  share  plans  operated  by  the  Company  in  which  he or  she
participates.

Yours faithfully

Stephen Jones

Deputy Secretary


                                    SIGNATURE


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                   PEARSON plc

Date: 20 May 2003

                             By:   /s/ STEPHEN JONES
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                                   Stephen Jones
                                   Deputy Secretary