Global practices in teaching English to young learners #education #teachingenglish

This session discusses research comparing global practices in teaching English to young learners in state primary schools between 2010 and 2020. Findings show many challenges persist, including large classes, lack of training, and discipline, leading teachers to often employ traditional, whole-class methods due to practical constraints. The speakers highlight a significant gap between ambitious policy expectations (e.g., English-only, communicative teaching) and classroom realities. They emphasize valuing teachers’ adaptive, effective practices within their specific contexts, advocating for researchers to learn from teachers. Inequality of access and the crucial role of non-native speaker teachers using students’ first languages are also discussed.