English language teaching policy

We provide support to governments wishing to transform the teaching and learning of English in their education systems and institutions. We have international experience in project design and management. We have a range of products and resources for learners and teachers, using the latest technologies. We champion research and innovation.

We work with Chinese English teaching institutions such as NAFLE (National Association of Foreign Language Education), organising regular forums and symposia to share information about trends, developments and research in the ELT sector in the UK and China.

The continuing professional development experiences and needs of English language teachers - China, Japan and Korea

This landscape report on the digital CPD needs of teachers of English in basic education in China, Japan and South Korea is the result of comprehensive research that took place in 2021 and 2022. Using questionnaires and interviews, over 7,000 teachers working at primary and secondary levels across China, Japan and South Korea gave information about their professional development experiences and preferences for future PD. The resultant findings and recommendations contained in this report will therefore be invaluable reading for policy makers, providers of teacher education and other stakeholders involved in the professional development of state sector English teachers.

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Suzhou Education Bureau Global Skills Training –Teachers’ Perspectives

Over 6 years, the British Council has developed a strong partnership with the Suzhou Education Bureau (SEB), a municipal level education bureau with significant influence on education policy and development within the Suzhou City area. As part of this collaboration, the British Council and SEB worked together to explore how a recent UK-led teacher Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes on Global Skills (21st Century Skills) has impacted on their teacher participants, and how such delivery and CPD offers might be improved in future.

The insights provided may be of continued interest to policy makers and course designers who wish to develop a more holistic learning approach. This topic area is also particularly relevant given the advent of the new China national English curriculum for Primary and Junior High released in April 2022.

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5 years on: exploring the impact and influence of a ‘Train-the-Trainer’ programme for Junior High School teachers in a Guangzhou suburb

This paper explores the impact of a 4-stage Train-the-Trainer programme held over 6 months in a suburban district of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province between 2016 and 2017. The key purpose of this paper is to build on lessons learned and inform key local decision makers in English teacher Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within Guangdong province on what effective, well planned models of cascade training might include, and how they could be better utilised to maximise positive impact.

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