A New Ethical Approach to English Language Education

“A different language is a different vision of life”

- Federico Fellini

Studying foreign languages is more than just a purely academic pursuit or a handy tool for travelling, it is also a great enabler of opportunity.

English language skills in particular are well documented as a worldwide social and economic mobiliser, with those possessing them gaining access to greater employment opportunities in an increasingly global marketplace.

The optimum way to learn English as a foreign language is to partake in the immersive experience of travelling to the UK to study in one of the many excellent language schools (though make sure it is one accredited by the British Council). Unfortunately due to the costs involved in such an endeavour this is not an option open to everyone and there is a danger that those who can’t afford it become left behind.

Addressing this very issue is the ethos of the new language school Bayswater Education. The director James Herbertson describes the school as as a

“For-profit social enterprise with a social mission at its heart”.

This mission, called English for Good, is to bring educational opportunities to those from less privileged backgrounds. The way this works is that when someone comes to study at Bayswater their fees help provide English classes to someone from a less fortunate background overseas, on a one for one basis.

This inspiring mission to allow young people to enrich their lives and those of their peers, regardless of economic background, should serve as a bellwether for how we think of language education in the future.