- The British Council advocates the benefits of inviting other languages into English classes.
- The British Council champions a multilingual approach to English teaching and learning: one where other languages are welcomed, not excluded.
- The British Council endorses its teachers and learners to make ‘judicious use’ of their other languages, where and when appropriate, to support the teaching and learning of English.
- As highlighted in its new report, a multilingual approach not only offers multiple evidence-based benefits for teachers and learners but also contributes to creating an equitable, inclusive and positive learning environment.
The British Council, the UK’s organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, highlights its support for a multilingual approach to English teaching and learning- one where all languages can play a role in English classes. This approach is based on evidence and research, including its new report, ‘What’s changed in English Language Teaching?’, and counters rigid ‘English-only’ policies and practices. It recognises that ‘judicious use’ of other languages can be beneficial, not detrimental to the English language learning experience.
According to the British Council, ‘judicious use’ means that their teachers and learners are encouraged to make thoughtful and principled decisions on if, when and how to make use of other languages to support the learning of English based on factors such as learners’ age, English level and preferences.
‘In the British Council, we are constantly evolving our teaching approach to provide our learners with the best opportunities to develop their English skills and proficiency, ' explains Kim Beadle, British Council’s Teaching Excellence lead.
She adds ‘an approach which includes, not excludes, other languages in the English classroom not only aligns with our current research and feedback from many of our teachers and learners, it reinforces the British Council‘s values and our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive environment which respects the diversity and languages of all our teachers and learners’.
From a monolingual to a multilingual approach
An ‘English-only’ or ‘monolingual’ approach was the dominant methodology for most of the 20th century, with many teachers and learners often feeling guilty or being penalised for using other languages in the English classroom.
A growing body of research and evidence from experts in the field, including the British Council’s own publications and research, now validates and promotes the use of a ‘multilingual’ approach – one that values and uses multiple languages.
Within this approach, the British Council highlights that English remains the primary language in the classroom, providing learners with maximum exposure and practice to develop their skills and proficiency, but that the UK organisation recognises that empowering its teachers and learners to make ‘judicious use’ of other languages has multiple benefits.
Benefits for teachers and learners
According to the British Council, there are many ways that teachers and learners can benefit from the strategic, or ‘judicious’, use of other languages in the classroom, regardless of whether they share a language.
These benefits of the multilingual approach are supported by classroom research carried out by its teachers and could include the following:
1. Creates a welcoming space – Including learners’ languages acknowledges and respects their linguistic and cultural identities in their English classes.
2. Supports language learning – Comparing grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation across languages aids comprehension and retention.
3. Builds autonomy – Exploring learning strategies which connect languages and learning strategies helps learners take greater control of their learning and progress.
4. Boosts confidence – Using other languages occasionally to check understanding and make connection between languages can help learners feel more able and willing to contribute.
5. Strengthens relationships – Respecting learners’ languages helps fosters trust, rapport, and mutual support.
6. Reduces anxiety – Occasional other language use can make lessons less intimidating, especially for lower-level or less-confident learners.
7. Encourages fluency – Occasional other language use can increase willingness to speak at length, and helps identify language gaps.
8. Develops translation skills – Useful for making cross-language connections and real-world communication in social, professional or academic situations.
9. Saves time – Quick translations by the teacher or learners can efficiently check understanding, leaving more time for practice.
10. Helps complete tasks – Using other languages to clarify instructions can help activities be completed successfully.
While the British Council advocates a multilingual approach, it also acknowledges that preferences for a monolingual approach persist. Kim Beadle concludes by saying. ‘Whilst our position is not intended to be prescriptive, we cannot ignore the evidence supporting the positive impact of judicious other language use on English language teaching and learning and its role in making language education more equitable, accessible and inclusive’.
About Kim Beadle
Kim has been in the English Language Teaching (ELT) field for 18 years. She has held a wide range of roles in teaching, training, examining, and management in Mexico and Hong Kong. She now works on the British Council’s ‘Global Teaching Excellence’ team and is based in Tarragona, Spain.
In her current role as Thought Leadership lead, she supports teaching teams across the British Council's global network of 43 countries through activities such as action research, publishing, and conference participation.
She led the thought leadership project in 2024 to research, develop and release the British Council’s approach on using other languages in its ELT classrooms.
She holds a range of internationally recognised qualifications, including Diplomas in the areas of language teaching, teacher training, and academic management and a Master's in Professional Development in Language Educatio.n
Kim has regularly shared her expertise at national and international conferences such as MEXTESOL, AsiaTEFL, Eaquals, and IATEFL on a range of topics, including phonology, skills development, assessment, and, most recently, on the background and research into multilingual practices in ELT.