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Integrating English into Educational Systems: a global perspective on Latin America

John Knagg English for Prosperity Santiago Chile. November 2013. [email protected]

Driving characteristics of Latin America

A large monolingual area

A large internal market

Medium resources

Limited mobility



What makes B1 English learners ?

Healthy children Helpful parents

Internet access Comfortable classroom

Learner centred approach Communicative methodology

Relevant curriculum Range of materials

Appropriate assessment Effective QA

Enthusiastic children Amount of exposure

Well-trained teachers Updated teachers

Learning not teaching Teachers with good English

Supportive colleagues Aware principals

English on TV Sharing best practice

Our Top Ten Issues in Global Primary ELT

1. Size and growth of PELT sector

2. Variation in teacher profiles

3. Quality teacher education

4. English: subject vs medium of instruction

5. Classroom methodologies

6. Materials and resources

7. Continuity and transition across school phases

8. Evidence for success

9. Out-of-school factors

10. Formal research

The move to starting English younger

“Politicians and parents the world over are

today deciding that an early start to FLL in

schools will make all the difference for the

economic futures of their children… Yet, to

what extent we can be sure that an early start

will really achieve greater long term rewards is

still uncertain.”

Janet Enever, Early Language Learning in Europe

2011

Start of English No Countries

Year One 22 Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, China, Croatia,

Cyprus, Georgia, India Goa, Greece, Hong Kong, India Tamil

Nadu, Italy, Namibia, North Cyprus, Palestine, Poland, Qatar,

Serbia, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sweden

Year Two 6 France, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Russia, Uzbekistan, Zambia

Year Three 9 Armenia, Czech Republic, Germany, Kosovo, Latvia, Taiwan (big

cities), Uganda, Turkey, Sri Lanka

Year Four 3 Israel, Denmark, Argentina

Year Five 2 Brazil, Japan, Taiwan (most cities)

After Year Five 6 Algeria, Colombia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Yemen

Not compulsory but often

taught

13 Mexico, Lithuania, Serbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland. In

Brazil in Year 5 (age 10/11) one FL must be offered (usually

English). Japan

A rough guide to current starts for English in different countries (Rixon 2012)

A standard European model – FL as subject ?

Questions for Primary and before

At what age/stage is English best introduced?

How much English ? What part of curriculum can make way for extra

English ?

What barriers exist to the effective teaching of English to YLs in state

systems?

Whether / How to teach English given shortage of teachers ?

What level of English can be expected by end of primary ?

Should English be a specialist subject or part of general primary

specialist or generalist teacher

Implications for teacher training ?

English at primary: implications for the secondary curriculum



European Survey of Language Competences

Measures learner achievement around 14-15 y.o.

Compares contextual factors

Matches achievement to contextual factors



Contextual Conclusions

An earlier onset is related to higher proficiency

Positive relation between proficiency and parents’ knowledge

Positive relation between proficiency and exposure through media

Students who think language is useful have higher proficiency

Students who find language difficult show lower proficiency

Greater use of language in lessons relates to higher proficiency

Questions for Secondary

How to deal with children who know some English from primary ?

What is the possible role of teaching through English – either CLIL or bilingual

education ?

How to balance access to English to wider socio-economic groups, avoiding

English being elite, with the reality that not everyone will need or wants

English, and the need for some people with advanced levels of English ?

Are there any useful models beyond the standard 4 lessons a week ?

What examples of best practice are there in the region?

What are the issues in initial and in-service teacher training ?

What part can technology play ?


English in HE. Taxonomy of learners

Ana – traditional EAP for EMI student (UK, USA….)

Ben – modern EAP for EMI student (other country)

Cleo – standard English learner

Dan – EMI teacher

Efy – international researcher

Flo – specialist English learner


Questions for Tertiary and Beyond

What are the important types of English learners in HE ?

Is HE primarily about advanced English, or remedial English, or both ?

How to deal with university intakes with widely differing English proficiency ?

What is the future for EMI (English Medium Instruction) in the region ?

Should knowing English be voluntary or should all graduates show a certain level of English as a “basic

skill” ?

Is a national policy on English in HE needed or should institutions decide ?

Is there a role for study skills/communication skills in English? For all students, or for specific subjects ?

How can technology be used ?



British Council Teacher CPD Framework

..and what happens outside the classroom ?

Most common types of exposure to English outside the

classroom are

listening to music

watching subtitled TV/films

playing computer or video games

using the Internet

speaking in English and reading

And… working in English


Balancing the Purposes of Public Education

1. Competitiveness. The nation needs an internationally

active group.

2. Equity. Everyone should be able to aspire to membership.

3. National Identity.

Therefore we need a group of people with high English

proficiency and we need to give a chance to all to show capacity to reach it. How do we balance that resource allocation ?

Important Trends in English and ELT

Emergence of English as Language of International Communication

Changing ownership of English – varieties, acceptability

English as a commodity – an industry

Communicative Language Teaching 1970s +

Increased use of technology in ELL.

Boom in English learning – a basic skill

Lowering of starting age for English in school.

Teacher shortage – low quality – questioning traditional school model

EMI (CLIL / Immersion / study travel / study abroad)


Where do we see Success ?

English in the environment beyond the classroom

High quality teaching

Centres of Excellence – special institutions

Highly Resourced contexts

Student exams and qualifications match needs

Comprehensive and sustained national strategy

Strategy aligned across the curriculum

Both top-down and bottom-up approaches


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