English Language: Education

Mr. Paul Goodman
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister’s announcement on English—the World’s language on 17 January 2008, what progress has been made in inviting offers from telephone, telecom, internet, broadcast and website companies to make the latest and most dynamic English learning, teaching and practice materials available through their channels.

Caroline Flint
Following my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, the British Council is in detailed discussions with a major global IT business and a web-based learning company about providing its English language materials for global distribution.

In April 2008, the British Council, in partnership with the BBC and UK English language teaching publishers, launched the ‘TeachingEnglish’ website which now attracts 350,000 unique visitors a month. The British Council is also piloting a new voice over internet protocol offer in workplace English for young Chinese professionals with a Chinese company.

The ‘TeachingEnglish’ website is available for viewing at:

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/