Newsroom
Think tank calls on Cambridge ESOL experts for Global English debate
19 March 2007
A new report from think tank Demos on the impact of English language varieties has drawn on Cambridge ESOL expertise and support.
As You Like It: Catching up in an age of Global English calls for radical changes in Government policy in response to the challenges of the rise of Global English and the lack of language skills in the UK.
The report illustrates the issues by citing examples from Cambridge ESOL projects such as the Beijing Speaks English campaign (part of the city’s preparation for the 2008 Olympics) and the Asset Languages initiative.
"English has a vast role and influence in the world and demands a considered, joined-up approach,” says UK Development Manager, Lee Knapp.
"The fact is, people want a standard English. The more varieties and the greater the use of English for communication, the more government authorities want to establish a reliable standard for their populations, the more employers want solid guidance for recruitment – and more than anything else, we know the learners themselves want to be measured against an acknowledged standard.
"This is not to deny the value and validity of any English variety. Varieties can help with the process of language learning, in encouraging and developing use of English; and in any case, it would be to underestimate English learners to suggest they are somehow opting for a lesser form of the language. Standards of English in many countries are very high and rising.
"One of the reasons that overall standards have improved so quickly has been the supporting role of the UK and its educators and teachers. The proactive role for the UK demanded by Demos is already happening. University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations has been working with the Beijing Municipal Government to help the city’s population improve its English in preparation for hosting next year’s Olympics; Colombia has just announced it will use Cambridge ESOL exams to test all its school-leavers against international standards. And in the UK, the Asset Languages initiative has provided a real platform for motivating and rewarding learners and people with other language skills. As Demos points out, London 2012 is a ‘one-off’ opportunity for this DfES/Cambridge Assessment scheme to drive interest in learning new languages.”
A full pdf copy of the report can be downloaded from www.demos.co.uk
