The Future of English: implications for teachers

We are living through a period where the pace of change seems relentless. This changing world has implications for the use and the teaching of the English language.

Change creates opportunities. Opportunities to reflect, to be in the moment and also to think about the future. We will briefly reflect on where we think we were very generally in the area of English language teaching before the onset of the Covid pandemic and where we possibly find ourselves now. Then, importantly, we will suggest implications for English language teachers to think about as we move forward into a world where the education space and the stakeholders have changed. To frame our presentation, we will the findings of the Future of English programme initiated by the British Council in 2020.

The Future of English (FoE) is a multi-phase research project with the aim of identifying key trends that will define the role of English as a global language in the coming decade, and the issues and opportunities for countries around the world in achieving their goals for the use of English in their contexts. This is not the first time work has been done on trying to foresee the future direction of the English language and its role in teaching and learning. Existing studies (Graddol, 1997 and 2006) have been reviewed and findings from these reviews form the basis of the Future of English project.

Teachers and learners have been at the forefront of discussion and debate as education systems have attempted to navigate new learning environments to ensure the continued provision of high-quality, effective teaching and learning. This webinar will discuss findings from the project which illuminate the role of the English teacher in a world that has recently seen dramatic change and disruption.

Webinar facilitator:

Mina Patel is a researcher with the Assessment Research Group at the British Council. Her background is in English language teaching and training. She has worked in the UK, Greece, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Malaysia as a teacher, trainer, materials developer and ELT projects manager and has extensive experience working with ministries of education in East Asia. Mina has presented at numerous national and international conferences on ELT-related matters. She is also co-author of The Future of English: Global Perspectives. Her academic interests lie in the area of English language testing and assessment and more specifically in language assessment literacy and the impact of testing and assessment. She is currently a PhD student with the Centre for Research in English Language Learning and Assessment (CRELLA) at the University of Bedfordshire, UK.

What lies ahead for the world's most spoken language?

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