In episode 5 we ask the question: How can we assess more fairly and effectively? We start by discussing the ideas of validity, reliability and accessibility in assessment. Then we talk to Professor Barry O'Sullivan, Head of Assessment Research and Development at the British Council. Barry explores current issues around fair assessment and how it might change in the future. Finally, we talk with Massamba Seck, a teacher and trainer from Senegal. He explains practical ways to make assessment...

In this episode, we discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on English language teaching. We start by discussing what AI is and its potential to make our lives as teachers easier. We talk to Svetlana Kandybovich, an AI educator and expert from Montenegro, about the pros and cons of AI. Svetlana emphasises the importance of human reasoning and the role of the teacher in the learning process. We then talk to EdTech expert Raquel Ribero, who shares her experience and practical tips to help...

Welcome to episode 3 of series 3 of our podcast. In this episode, we ask the question: do I need to sound like a 'native speaker'? After discussing what we mean by native and non-native speakers of English, we have a conversation with Professor Jenny Jenkins, emeritus professor of Global Englishes. Jenny argues that 'native English' is a loaded and problematic term and she draws on her experience of ELF – English as a Lingua Franca – to provide a more useful understanding of English...

It's episode 2 of our new series, and this week we are discussing how to teach vocabulary and grammar more communicatively. We talk to Jo Cummins, freelance ELT teacher, trainer and materials writer. Jo shares some ideas for communicative activities in the classroom that can help students move from passive grammar and vocabulary knowledge to active use of language for communication. We also look at how classrooms can become a 'safe space' for students to make errors, so that they can become...

The TeachingEnglish podcast is back! In episode 1, we're discussing how we can achieve gender equity in the classroom. We talk to Dr Aisling O'Boyle, Director of the Centre for Language Education Research at Queen's University, Belfast. We look at how discrimination against women in areas like education has deep historical roots, but we now have more useful language to discuss it. We talk about how inequalities persist in many areas today and how language and textbooks can reinforce gender...

In this final episode of series 2, we ask 19 experienced ELT professionals to give us their top tips for teaching English effectively. These tips cover five key areas, namely: the importance of personalisation and context; criticality; humanistic approaches to teaching language; using social media; and general pedagogy. These concise, focused suggestions will hopefully maximise the learning experiences and learning outcomes in your classes and make your own ELT journey more...

Looking at the world of ELT from the perspective of fairness, justice, and equity, there is much to admire. However, it is far from perfect, and in this episode we look at some of those areas in which significant improvement could be made. In our field report, we hear from three individuals whose organisations are trying to make ELT a better place in terms of fairness in working conditions, inclusion in the workplace, and gender balance. In our interview, we speak to Rachel Tsateri, who is a...

Building on what we discussed in episode 4 about ‘Academic English’, we take a step back and look at the wider context within which it sits – English for Specific Purposes (ESP). At first, who better than Viviana Cortes – the editor-in-chief of the Journal of English for Specific Purposes – to share with us an overview of ESP, discussing its history, present and its future. In our field report, we investigate some of the particular areas in more detail, with practitioners of Medical English,...

Teacher professional development is a crucial part of being a good teacher. However, we often think that ‘good training’ can only be obtained from ‘expert trainers’ at large conferences or through online workshops. And whilst these can definitely be hugely beneficial, many teachers forget that there is so much that they can learn from their own colleagues in their own contexts. In our interview, we hear from the EVE programme, a ground-breaking initiative which promotes gender equity in ELT...

Many parts of the world are currently experiencing significant levels of violence and conflict. The role of education and language learning in these areas is very important, and can provide short and long term benefits for people in these situations. This episode is released on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and in recognition of this our field report focuses on a British Council programme entitled “Teaching and Learning in Difficult Times”. This programme has, to...

Wherever you are in the world, and whatever your context, story will almost certainly be an important part of the teaching and learning context. However, what is meant by the word’ story’ may differ from place to place, ranging from the type of traditional tale found in coursebooks, to oral narratives created by students themselves, to digital creations found online. To develop our understanding of these different contexts we first speak to Jamie Keddie, an expert in the way we can use...

Just the phrase ‘academic English’ can sometimes make students – and teachers - feel nervous and afraid. In this episode, in the company of Tracey Costley from the University of Essex, we show that academic English doesn’t have to be quite as scary as it sounds, and that academic English can actually be accessible for everyone. In the field report, we find out about a fantastic initiative between the University of Leicester and the University of Leeds for refugee-background students, who...

Teachers often ask to what extent they should be responsible for teaching challenging material in the classroom, for example topics such as sex, sexuality, racism, politics, religion and economic inequality. Given that in most teaching situations, teachers will have to teach difficult issues at some point, it is important to think about the best way to do this, in order to minimise any problems or embarrassment, and to maximise learning for the students. In our interview, we talk to Rose...

In recent times, the influence of virtual reality, artificial intelligence and the metaverse in our daily lives has increased. This influence has also been very noticeable in English language teaching in many parts of the world. In this episode, we talk to Nergiz Kern, a leading expert in this field, who talks to us about the past, present and future of these educational technologies. She shares with us advice about how we can get the most out of VR in the classroom with whatever resources we...

It’s the first episode of Series 2 of Teaching English with the British Council, and we’ve got world cup fever. We’re looking at how teachers can use football to teach English – as well as other languages – effectively. We interview the founders of Languagecaster and Multilingua FC, who provide a range of resources and materials to help students interested in football improve their English language skills. We also hear from the British Council’s own Premier Skills programme, which has used...

In our second series of this ten-part podcast series from the British Council, we try and provide solutions to some of the key questions being asked by English teachers around the world. Each episode explores a specific topic through interviews, a focus on recent developments and reports on British Council initiatives in English language teaching. Practical show notes and transcripts are available to download at the bottom of the page.

When working in a busy and stressful educational environment, it’s important that teachers support and help each other as much as possible. In this episode, we hear from several teacher networks around the world about how they support their members, the projects they are doing, and the impact which they are having. Following this, we speak to Pauline Blake-Johnston, who has a wide range of experience in participating in and managing teacher networks. Her experience ranges from being the chair...

COVID-19 has affected so much of how we deliver education and language teaching. As schools (in some parts of the world) return to something approaching normality, it’s important to consider the mental health impact of the pandemic. Confronted with other challenging issues as well, such as climate anxiety, students are looking to teachers for mental health support more than ever before. In this episode, we’ll look at British Council set of activities created as part of its Connecting...

Students’ home languages should be seen assets in the English language classroom – but all too often they are viewed as problematic and detrimental. In this episode, the writers of the British Council publication Using multilingual approaches: moving from theory to practice share activities you can use in your classroom that celebrate the languages your students speak. Following these practical suggestions, academic and researcher Tony Capstick shares his insights into the value and...

We are now into the last decade of the United Nations’ Sustainable Goals, and their emphasis on promoting education, improving health outcomes and eradicating poverty have never been more crucial. Despite their importance, many students around the world know little about them. In this podcast, we hear from three ELT writers who contributed articles to the British Council publication Integrating global issues in the creative English language classroom. We then speak to Margarita Kosior about...

For decades, the educational dial in northern Nigeria, had barely moved. Low levels of literacy and numeracy prevailed across the state of Kano. Since 2019, the British Council have worked with governmental and non-governmental partners to implement its Kano Literacy and Maths Accelerator (KaLMA) project, the aim of which is to build foundational Maths, Hausa and English literacy skills, using a TaRL (Teaching at the Right Level) approach. In our interview, Mohammed Wais, a coordinator of the...

The last two years have seen a rush to teaching online, driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic. But whilst some teachers had considerable experience teaching remotely, for others it was a completely new experience. In episode 5, we learn from Plan Ceibal (Ceibal en Inglés), an innovative English teaching project which uses videoconferencing technology to reach 80,000 children in over 550 primary schools across Uruguay. In the second part, digital learning specialist and lecturer in English...

There are in excess of 85 million displaced people in the world, with children under the age of 18 constituting around half this total. Whether a refugee, migrant or internally-displaced person, developing language skills can play a huge role for these individuals – and the host communities in which they live – to withstand challenges, recover from crisis and overcome barriers. We’ll explore the British Council work on Language for Resilience to understand this further. Following on from...

All children have the right to learn, but often they are not given the opportunity to do so. Even when they are present in the classroom, they are not fully included in the learning. In this episode, teachers involved in the British Council’s innovative Teaching for All programme in South Africa will share approaches which can promote inclusivity, particularly in diverse classrooms communities. Then leading inclusivity expert Anne Margaret Smith will then share her ideas about how these...