Begin by rinsing the tapioca pearls under cold water and thoroughly draining them.
Place the rinsed tapioca pearls, milk, sugar, and salt into a slow cooker.
Cover and set the cooker to low, allowing the mixture to cook for approximately 4 hours. Stir the mixture every hour to prevent the tapioca from sticking together.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
Gradually temper the beaten eggs by slowly whisking in about a cup of the hot milk and tapioca mixture. This helps prevent the eggs from cooking unevenly.
Carefully pour the tempered egg mixture back into the slow cooker, mixing thoroughly to ensure it’s well incorporated.
Replace the cover and continue to cook on low for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pudding should thicken, and the tapioca pearls should become translucent.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Serve the pudding warm by ladling it into bowls, or allow it to cool and refrigerate if you prefer to serve it chilled.