#SHAPELive

‘SHAPE Live’ is our new series of bite-sized events to an unlimited global audience, spotlighting key challenges within education.

SHAPE Live events use one or more of the ‘outline principles for the future of education’ set out by Cambridge University Press & Assessment as a starting point for each debate. It is not possible to discuss one aspect of an education system without considering the potential implications for other parts. We have found a way of navigating these debates and connecting the dots.

Join the discussion and have your say.

Lost in translation?

What is the role of English in education globally?

English learning at its best can be empowering and transformative - bringing access to jobs, promoting social, geographic and economic mobility, and connecting local and global communities. Parents, schools and governments across the world have bought into the need for children to become proficient in English, and at an ever earlier age.

But who are the individuals who benefit, who does not, and what are the costs? The use of inappropriate curricula, resources and methodologies can limit the desire or ability of learners to identify with English in a positive way and may even have a negative impact on outcomes. At its worst, English can be an aggressor to individual identities and cultures, to acquisition of knowledge and skills, and to creativity and collaboration.

Join us for a lively discussion around the shifting role of English: how government targets might best impact learning outcomes, how education providers can balance high-quality education and simultaneously champion the individuals and communities in their care, and why plurilingual practices might hold a key to the future of English teaching and learning.

Stephen Dobson