Surging demand for English language learning

[Debbie_Hepplewhite]

I wasn't quite sure which 'forum' to post this article, but as it is referring to a global issue of the demand for English language learning, I decided on this 'Around the world' forum:

There are far more people learning English as an additional language than English-speakers learning English - so how best to teach the English language is a huge issue and one which is part of my work.

I take my responsibility very seriously as a phonics programme-author and teacher-trainer in the English language and am aware of this increasing demand for English language learning.

It was noticeable during the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest that most of the countries' representatives sang in the English language whereas in days of old, many of the countries, if not most, sang in their mother tongue.

For me, at the heart of this growing interest in teaching and learning English is the greater hope for closer relationships around the world as a growing number of people share a common language. I don't for one minute think that the 'common' language should be English, but the principle of greater communication with 'whatever' language more people have in common has to be a good thing.

How ironic, however, that the increase in demand for English language learning happens to be the language that has the most complex alphabetic code in the world - and even here in England and other English-speaking countries, debate still rages whilst teachers try to get to grips with reducing illiteracy and improving literacy standards.

http://blogs.wsj.com/expat/2015/06/09/t ... /?mod=e2tw

The Power of Schwa: Surging Demand for English Language Spurs New Crop of Teachers

By ANNA ESAKI-SMITH

HONG KONG– You gotta have schwa. Actually, if you’re a native English speaker, you’ve already been using plenty of schwa, because you naturally understand the nuances of the English language that non-native speakers struggle with during the thousands, if not millions, of class hours they put in yearly to acquire basic English fluency. You didn’t know that, did you? That little question I just posed is classified as a part of speech called a “question tag,” which latches onto the end of a declarative sentence to transform it into a question. That’s clear, isn’t it?

[Debbie_Hepplewhite]

Of course the British Council plays a very big role in provision for teaching English as an additional language - and through BC channels, I discovered some years ago their 'British Council - Phonemic Chart - Teaching English'.

Now, anyone who knows me or who is aware of my work, will know that I'm always banging on about the importance of 'Alphabetic Code Charts'.

My view is that establishing an Alphabetic Code Chart for a teaching English programme or practice is the actual starting point when reading and writing is part of the course - and not just 'speaking'. We should surely have Alphabetic Code Charts 'everywhere' the English language is taught where reading and writing is involved but of course this is not yet the case.

I was quite shocked by the number of inconsistencies in the British Council Phonemic Chart so I did a review of the chart and sent it to the British Council - to no avail.

More recently, I tried again to contact the British Council with my review and did get a response this time around that it had been 'forwarded' to someone or other for their information and that they would get back to me

But, yet again, I've heard nothing.

Anyway, perhaps someone will see this thread who works for the British Council or who knows of someone in the British Council....!

So, here is the review - or rather, two reviews as I also completed a review for a different phoneme chart for some department of the English Government at the time too - didn't hear from the Government either:

http://www.syntheticphonics.com/DH_Revi ... charts.pdf