Friday, 30 October 2020

why don't the british learn foreign languages?

Why do the Brits just not bother with learning foreign languages?

Jay Doubleyou: britain is bottom of the class when it comes to second languages

Jay Doubleyou: immigrants with no second language? it’s true britishness

Is it because they don't really need to?

Jay Doubleyou: do the brits really need to learn a foreign language when everyone speaks english?

Or is it because they don't want to speak anything 'foreign'?

Jay Doubleyou: brexit: and what the british think of themselves

Here's the opening of a recent piece which asks these questions:

Why are foreign languages so taboo for Brits?

Language learning in most UK schools is both feared and loathed

by Olivia Stringer

12/10/2020

Foreign languages have always been tricky for most Brits, but that shouldn’t be a reason for the government to discourage them.

Diminishing opportunities for language learning

Since the British public in 2016 voted to leave the European Union there has been an increasing rise in racism and xenophobia. A report by the Home Office found that in the 2016/2017 reporting period the UK experienced a 27 per cent and 35 per cent increase in racially and religiously motivated hate crimes, respectively.

There appears to be a correlation between this and the dramatic decrease in the number of students choosing to study languages in recent years. A report by the British Council suggests that just over a third of state schools noted that leaving the EU has had a negative impact on student motivation and/or parental attitude towards language learning.

A further issue is that the government have increasingly prioritised STEM subjects, while cuts to education have had a devastating impact on language courses in schools. The NEU reports:

‘the cumulative impact of funding cuts since 2011 meant by November 2017, 50% of colleges and schools that responded to a survey had dropped Modern Foreign Language courses’.

...

Why are foreign languages so taboo for Brits? | Shout Out UK

Sunday, 25 October 2020

political education in the uk

The British government has brought in new guidelines about what can be taught in schools:

Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum - GOV.UK

It depends on your politics if you think these are a good thing or not.

On the left:

The government has ordered schools in England not to use resources from organisations which have expressed a desire to end capitalism.

Schools in England told not to use material from anti-capitalist groups | Education | The Guardian

Legal threat over anti-capitalist guidance for schools in England | Schools | The Guardian

"It's laughable to put talking about alternatives to capitalism on par with racism."

Education figures hit out ‘censorship’ of anti-capitalism in new teaching guidance | Left Foot Forward

On the right:

No, the government has not banned anti-capitalism from schools: The outrage over the government’s new guidelines shows how politicised education has become.

No, the government has not banned anti-capitalism from schools - spiked

ANTI-CAPITALISM material has been banned from being taught in English schools, but what is anti-capitalism and what does it mean?

Anti-capitalism meaning: What is anti-capitalism materials as English schools banned? | UK | News | Express.co.uk

A row over extreme organisations supplying teaching material for pupils highlights the murderous folly of socialism: It’s eighty years since Stalin attempted to starve my father to death in Siberia. Perhaps that’s why I think as I do about the latest controversy over capitalism.

Enemies of capitalism have no place in school | Comment | The Times

Somewhere in the middle:

Anticapitalism wasn’t banned in English classrooms during the cold war – why is it now? Materials produced by groups with “extreme political stances” have been barred from English classrooms by the UK government under new guidance for the relationships, sex, and health curriculum. Most of these extreme principles – racism, antisemitism and authoritarianism – are uncontroversial. But the list also includes opposition to capitalism: the “desire to overthrow democracy, capitalism, or the end to free and fair elections”.

And from foreign propaganda media!

Banning Anti-Capitalist Material In Schools Could 'Mute Debate', Warns Political Literacy Body - Sputnik International

Here's something a bit more interesting:

A story picked up by the UK media at the end of September passed almost unnoticed. As The Guardian reported, “The government has ordered schools in England not to use resources from organizations which have expressed a desire to end capitalism. Department for Education guidance issued on Thursday for school leaders and teachers involved in setting the relationship, sex and health curriculum categorized anti-capitalism as an ‘extreme political stance’ and equated it with opposition to freedom of speech, anti-Semitism and endorsement of illegal activity.”

As far as I know, this was the first time such an explicit order had been given; nothing like this happened even in the darkest periods of the Cold War. One should also note the words used: “a desire to end capitalism.” Not an intention, a plan, a program, but simply a desire – a term which can be applied to almost any statement (“True, you didn’t say it, but it’s what you desire…").

Plus, of course, there was the (now usual) addition of “anti-Semitism,” as if a desire to end capitalism is in itself anti-Semitic. Are the authors aware that their prohibition is in itself anti-Semitic: it implies that Jews are in their essence capitalist?

Why this sudden panic reaction to communism? Is it fear that the pandemic, global warming and other social crises may provide an opportunity for China to assert itself as the only remaining superpower? No, China is not today’s Soviet Union; the best way to prevent communism is to follow China.

Zizek: Covid crisis sparked fear of communism & China’s rise as superpower. But best way to prevent communism is to FOLLOW China — RT Op-ed

And:

Schools have been hurled into the centre of a “culture war” by the publication of unexpected guidance thought to have originated in Downing Street that targets divisive educational issues.

Last year, The Times reported that Downing Street had been polling on “culture war” issues such as trans rights – which feature in the guidance – to see if they could be “weaponised” in an election.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the guidance bore “all the hallmarks of having been thrown in by Number 10 in the expectation that there will be a massive row”. But she added: “The more we engage with them in culture wars, the more they get off and escape the litany of incompetence, which is where we need to focus.”

How schools became the battleground of Cummings's culture war

how is the english language teaching industry doing?

Like every industry trying to find its way through these difficult times, the English Language Teaching business is having problems.

“The future is very uncertain" – ELT stakeholders raise concern over closures

Things are being made worse in the UK with Brexit:

Fears for foreign exchange trips as peers urge Government to scrap plans to force all children from Europe to carry passports

English UK outlines ELT kickstart initiative after visa victory

But even the Irish are making it difficult for students:

Irish govt asks English language schools to stop recruiting int'l students

No more international students for English language schools in Ireland? – Study International

But there are clear signs of optimism.

Schools are beginning to open:

Online English Language provider TopUp Learning has announced its acquisition of Tti School of English in London, as the school prepares to re-open for face-to-face classes on October 19.

UK: TopUp Learning acquires Tti School of English

The virtual market is booming:

ELT programs are gaining momentum because of globalization, urbanization, and the desire for better education and employment opportunities. With the advent of the Internet, information and communications technology (ICT) tools are being used to provide learning content in digital formats.

Digital English Language Learning Market Report (2019-2025) | The demand for the Market will drastically increase in the Future… – PRnews Leader

With more resources being offered:

UK education providers are helping teachers, parents and students respond to the impact of COVID-19 worldwide - GOV.UK

And a recent survey shows that those in the industry are expecting a very good 2021:

Agents & schools forecast gradual recovery for language travel sector

Wednesday, 21 October 2020

what's a 'native speaker' of english? part two

It's a tricky question:

Jay Doubleyou: what is a 'native speaker' of english?

And it's mixed up with race:

Jay Doubleyou: what is a 'native speaker' of english? the issue of race...

For example:

Native English speakers who are of Asian descent or candidates with Asian looks will NOT be considered Native English speakers (Caucasians ONLY) from the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada need apply

Who is a native speaker of English?- eChinacities Answers | answers.echinacities.com

Racism in the English language teaching industry | Ahmar Mahboob - Academia.edu
Native speaker: A unitary fantasy of a diverse reality | JALT Publications

Which countries, then, have English as a 'native' language?

List of countries by English-speaking population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of countries where English is an official language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Top 10 English Speaking Countries | OMG Top Lists

Do Indians or Americans speak better English?
Is India or US the biggest English-speaking country? | Antimoon Forum

Who 'owns' the language?

Jay Doubleyou: who owns english?

Is the divide between native and non-native so clear?

native english speaker vs. non-native speaker
[General] Native english speaker or not ???
A native English speaker?

What does it mean to be 'born' into a language?

How do you define a native speaker?
How would you define "native speaker of english"?

Certainly, there are many 'native' speakers whose first language is x - and still they are not capable of achieving everything on this list;

The individual acquired the language in early childhood and maintains the use of the language.
The individual has intuitive knowledge of the language.
The individual is able to produce fluent, spontaneous discourse.
The individual is communicatively competent in different social contexts.
The individual identifies with or is identified by a language community.
The individual does not have a foreign accent.

First language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are more Nigerians who speak English than British:

Can a Nigerian be classified as a Native English speaker? - Yahoo! Answers
Nigerian English - definition and examples of Nigerian English

And 'Indian English' is becoming a rival to American English:
Indian English - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indians beat English at their language - Times Of India
India's New 'English Only' Generation - NYTimes.com

And it goes much further:

Globalization and Englishes: Native speakers' reaction to the growth of Indian and Chinese English varieties | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

.

Tuesday, 20 October 2020

if you can't teach, then become a copywriter

Copywriting is the act or occupation of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing.^[1] The product, called copy or sales copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action.^[2]

Copywriters help create billboards, brochures, catalogs, jingle lyrics, magazine and newspaper advertisements, sales letters and other direct mail, scripts for television or radio commercials, taglines, white papers, social media posts, and other marketing communications.

Copywriting - Wikipedia

There are lots of websites offering tips (and courses) on how to become a copywriter:

How To Become A Copywriter (without any experience at all) | by Neville Medhora | Medium

7 Steps to Becoming a Professional Copywriter

How to Become a Copywriter with No Experience | 2020

Complete Copywriting Tutorial - Examples, Tips and Formulas - YouTube

How to Become a Copywriter (NO Experience, Portfolio or Degree)

There are the general places to go looking for work in the 'sharing economy':

In-demand talent on demand.™ Upwork is how.™

And there are the specific places to go:

iWriter: Content & Article Writing Service - Buy Articles

Article Writing Services | iNeedArticles

Become a Guest Post Author - Guestpost.com

SEO Marketplace for backlinks, web design, website traffic, and online marketing - SEOClerks

SEOReseller, White Label SEO & SEO Outsource Provider | SEOReseller

For those who are teachers and who need to branch out in these strange times, there is special advice:

From teacher to copywriter : copywriting

We Write to Teach: What My Time as a Teacher Taught Me About Copywriting

From Teaching to Working at Home as a Copywriter

From Teacher to Full-Time Writer: California Man Finds Fulfillment, Unlimited Potential in Copywriting Career

From Public School Teacher to World-Traveling Copywriter | HuffPost

Thursday, 15 October 2020

sweden and coronavirus: part two

How to tackle Covid has become a political issue as much as a health one:

Jay Doubleyou: the politics of covid

And the country that has given most focus to this debate is Sweden:

Jay Doubleyou: sweden and coronavirus

Two months on, and the debate is hotter than ever...

The libertarian think-tank, the FEE, thinks Sweden has been doing a great job:

5 Charts That Show Sweden’s Strategy Worked. The Lockdowns Failed - Foundation for Economic Education

Sweden Now Has a Lower COVID-19 Death Rate Than the US. Here’s Why It Matters - Foundation for Economic Education

Elon Musk on Lockdowns: ‘Sweden Was Right’! - Foundation for Economic Education

BBC: Sweden’s Economy Is Doing Way Better Than the Rest of the EU During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Foundation for Economic Education

However, the graph the FEE presents is now out of date.

This is from half an hour ago:

Template:COVID-19 pandemic data - Wikipedia

In other words, the numbers are going up - like everywhere else:

Sweden: Students Told To Stop Partying As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Sweden's coronavirus cases keep rising, but official says it is not a second wave | Reuters

This is from today's Time magazine - click on the link below to read the complete piece:

The Swedish COVID-19 Response Is a Disaster. It Shouldn’t Be a Model for the Rest of the World

BY KELLY BJORKLUND AND ANDREW EWING

OCTOBER 14, 2020 5:00 AM EDT

Kelly Bjorklund is a writer and human rights activist who has worked on public policy and advocacy with elected officials, civil society and media for two decades.

Andrew Ewing is a professor of molecular biology and chemistry at the University of Gothenburg and a member of the Swedish Academy of Sciences.

The Swedish COVID-19 experiment of not implementing early and strong measures to safeguard the population has been hotly debated around the world, but at this point we can predict it is almost certain to result in a net failure in terms of death and suffering. As of Oct. 13, Sweden’s per capita death rate is 58.4 per 100,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins University data, 12th highest in the world (not including tiny Andorra and San Marino). But perhaps more striking are the findings of a study published Oct. 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which pointed out that, of the countries the researchers investigated, Sweden and the U.S. essentially make up a category of two: they are the only countries with high overall mortality rates that have failed to rapidly reduce those numbers as the pandemic has progressed.

Yet the architects of the Swedish plan are selling it as a success to the rest of the world. And officials in other countries, including at the top level of the U.S. government, are discussing the strategy as one to emulate—despite the reality that doing so will almost certainly increase the rates of death and misery.

Countries that locked down early and/or used extensive test and tracing—including Denmark, Finland, Norway, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and New Zealand—saved lives and limited damage to their economies. Countries that locked down late, came out of lock down too early, did not effectively test and quarantine, or only used a partial lockdown—including Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Spain, Sweden, the U.S. and the U.K.—have almost uniformly done worse in rates of infection and death.

Despite this, Sweden’s Public Health Agency director Johan Carlson has claimed that “the Swedish situation remains favorable,” and that the country’s response has been “consistent and sustainable.” The data, however, show that the case rate in Sweden, as elsewhere in Europe, is currently increasing...

Why the Swedish Model for Fighting COVID-19 Is a Disaster | Time