The Role of English in Conflict Transformation : British Council India

Session

Title:	The Role of English in Conflict Transformation
Date and Time:	Thursday 20 November 2009 14.30-15.30 (GMT +4.5 hours)

Recordings

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Abstract

This case-study looks at the ‘Skills Through English for Public Servants' (STEPS) programme, developed by GTZ and the British Council under the GTZ Performance Improvement Project, in the conflict-affected North and East of Sri Lanka from 2005-2010. We explore how learning English, through a content and language integrated (CLIL) approach, can be used to develop better ethnic understanding in conflict affected communities. We provide a rationale for the role of English as a link language in societies where language has traditionally been used to create or exacerbate social and ethnic divides.

The relationship between content and language is discussed and the need to blend general English, English for Special Purposes (ESP) and CLIL according to language level and learning outcomes. Our discussion on course content includes how topics such as good governance are combined with critical thinking, and the four skills in English. Our discussion on course delivery includes how ethnic integration in the classroom and participatory approaches provide a ‘space' for dialogue and help participants form informal networks and practice conflict transformation skills beyond the classroom.

Speakers

Duncan Wilson

Duncan has worked for the British Council since 1991, with postings in Egypt , Dubai , Vietnam and Sri Lanka . He currently manages the large and vibrant Teaching Centre in Colombo , which has 5000 students each term and a team of over 50 teachers. He is also the Manager of Project English for Sri Lanka , which has a well established reputation for developing and delivering both large and small scale capacity building projects in the Sri Lankan state sector, for establishing effective networks of Sri Lankan teachers and for providing advice and consultancy services to the ELT sector in the country.

Gill Westaway

Gill Westaway

Gill Westaway has been Country Director British Council Sri Lanka since September 2006.

Gill has worked for the British Council since 1982, first joining its Language Centre in Bogotá , Colombia as an English Teacher. Thereafter she has held a number of postings in the UK and overseas.

While in London , she was instrumental in developing the now very well known IELTS test. In Kenya she initiated the establishment of a Teaching Centre and managed and spearheaded a number of ELT development projects. She then worked as Deputy Director in Indonesia where she also was engaged in ELT development project management, before moving to the Philippines as Country Director.

Gill holds a Bachelor of Arts Combined Honours Degree from Exeter University , a Master of Arts in Language and Literature in Education ; and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the Institute of Education , University of London and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.