This is a three-year programme which is delivered in seven countries in the Wider Europe region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan).
The overall aim of the programme is to address the reported and perceived problem of the low level of English skills of school leavers who are entering work or tertiary education. The programme addresses the problem by conducting research to generate reliable and valid data to identify and inform solutions and by supporting the professional development of English teachers to enable them to meet the needs of their learners.
Future English is one of the most ambitious British Council projects in Ukraine for today. This programme is being realised in Ukraine with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which is stated in a Letter of Intent signed between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the British Council.
The first stage of the project aims at analysing challenges English schoolteachers face in helping school leavers develop communicative language competence, and the impact of English language policy and processes in the education system on the attitudes of English teachers towards classroom practices. A consultant from the University of Leicester visited schools from various parts of Ukraine and observed EFL teachers in the classroom. He interviewed teachers, school administrators and students of the 10th Grade.
The current stage of the project is to undertake comprehensive research across the region by identifying the level of English competence of school leavers via the British Council Aptis test. Students’ motivation, aspirations and learning preferences is researched as well. Students from 157 Ukrainian schools from all corners of Ukraine will take part in the investigation.
English language symposium is planned to take place with the aims of disseminating and discussing research findings and exploring solutions with a focus on the English language policy and teacher development. This event will bring together regional educational leaders, policy makers and relevant NGOs, both from the Ukrainian and the UK ELT sector. The dates of the symposium will be announced.