Stephen Wordsworth

Learning English

I gave an opening speech, on 22 May, to the annual English Language Teachers Association Conference, meeting this year, for a change, in Novi Sad.  This was the third time I have done this, and each year the event gets bigger and better.  Worldwide demand for English language skills is growing all the time, as English becomes ever more firmly established as the global business language, and the dominant language on the Internet.

The UK, through the British Council, is doing a lot here, and around the world, to help improve teaching methods and curricula, and provide other support to teachers of English.  The teachers attending the Conference were all very much aware that the future of the children they teach will be profoundly affected by how well they do their job, not just in teaching, but in encouraging their students to develop a real passion for learning and using the language. 

As I have said many times, I am constantly impressed by the level of English language skills among young people here in Serbia, particularly bearing in mind that few of them have had the opportunity to visit an English-speaking country.  This will be a very important factor in Serbia's economic growth in years to come.

Posted at 08:38 26 May 2009 by Stephen Wordsworth  |  Comments[2]