Starmer says migrants should speak English – but all of the UK’s languages are important for integration: William Perugini/Shutterstock When Keir Starmer said: “If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English”, it laid bare an assumption – that English is the only language that counts in the UK. This view not …
Why Taylor Swift belongs on English literature degree courses: Taylor Swift performs at Madison Square Garden in New York, 2019. Brian Friedman/Shutterstock When I started my podcast, Studies in Taylor Swift, in the spring of 2021, I felt that I was simultaneously helping to invent, and trying to catch up to, the academic discipline of …
Pay gaps and less chance of a top degree: the unequal experience of ethnic minority staff and students at English universities: fizkes/Shutterstock A 2020 report on racial harassment published by industry body Universities UK drew attention to the “institutional racism and systemic issues that pervade the entire higher education sector”. In the same year, the …
UK supreme court rules Guantánamo ‘forever prisoner’ can sue the government under English law – here’s why it matters: Stephanie Swartz/Shutterstock The UK supreme court has ruled that a detainee in Guantánamo Bay can sue the UK government under English law over its alleged involvement in his detention and torture. This is the first case …
PFAS forever chemicals found in English drinking water – why are they everywhere and what are the risks?: husjur02/Shutterstock PFAS chemicals (per-and poly fluoroalkyl substances), also known as forever chemicals, are rarely out of the news at the moment. The latest concern about this chemical group is their presence in drinking water in England. The …
English football is ready for a rule change when it comes to financial management: Billion Photos/Shutterstock Football fans are frequently involved in heated arguments over the rules of the game. Soon it will be the turn of elected politicians to debate new regulations which govern how the sport in England will be run. On November …
Understanding all kinds of English accent can improve empathy and learning – and even be a matter of life and death: In a 2019 sketch from the US late-night comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL), the actor James McAvoy plays a Scottish air traffic controller attempting to help a US brand integration manager (Mikey Day) …
South Africa’s literacy crisis: our app could help young readers by using home language and English: Educational technology, while no silver bullet, can be a tool for learning. Wirestock Literacy changes lives: in Unesco’s words, it “empowers and liberates people, … reduces poverty, increases participation in the labour market and has positive effects on health …
Cockney and Queen’s English have all but disappeared among young people – here’s what’s replaced them: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock Cockney and received pronunciation (Queen’s English) were once spoken by people of all ages, but they are no longer commonly spoken among young people in the south-east of England. In new research, colleagues and I recorded the voices …
How to read Haruki Murakami in English the Japanese way – in four steps: With more than 40 years of writing to choose from, it’s difficult to know where to begin when reading Haruki Murakami. Earlier this year in Japan, he published his 15th novel, The City and Its Uncertain Walls, though the release date …
Too often learning ‘British history’ means learning ‘English history’ – but overburdened schoolteachers are not to blame: How much do you really know about the history of the United Kingdom? What passes for “British history” is, all too often, merely the history of England with bits of the histories of Scotland, Wales and Ireland tacked …
How English women’s football could become a billion pound industry – and where the money comes from to make it happen: A long-awaited official review of women’s football in England sets out ten recommendations designed to transform and develop the sport at every level. The review, which was chaired by former international player Karen Carney, …
The COVID vaccine mandate in English care homes led to fewer staff – and may not have reduced resident deaths: Studio Romantic/Shutterstock Mandatory COVID vaccination as a condition of employment has been a commonly used – though controversial – policy around the world during the pandemic. Much of the debate on vaccine mandates has rightly …
Tanzanian students who struggle with English feel bullied – a major barrier to learning: Students at Mtitu Secondary School in Kilolo district, approximately 500 kilometres south-west of Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar-es-Salaam. Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images In many postcolonial contexts, early learning is conducted, and assessed, in a language that is unfamiliar to learners. About …
Curious Kids: who was the first person to speak English?: Anglo-Saxon village re-enactment event in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, 2008. Simon Annable/Shutterstock Who was the first person to speak English? – Grace, aged eight, Belfast, Northern Ireland The first speaker of English did not sound like you or me. That’s because language changes all the time. You …
Esol English classes are crucial for migrant integration, yet challenges remain unaddressed: In the year ending September 2022, more than 70,000 people had claimed asylum in the UK. The vast majority were from countries that do not use English as a first language. Being able to communicate in English is essential for newly arrived migrants. …
Ghana school students talk about their social media addiction, and how it affects their use of English: Education stakeholders should pay attention to students' use of social media. Wikimedia Commons Social media networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, YouTube and Instagram have been shown to have significantly transformed student behaviour. But the focus has been …
Relationships and sex education review: government must remember history of LGBTQ+ discrimination in English schools: roberjzm/Shutterstock Sex education in English schools is under scrutiny. A review of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) brought forward by prime minister Rishi Sunak, will lead to new statutory guidance by the end of 2023. Sunak has also stated …