Richard Hudson
University College London, United Kingdom; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0269-6246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36534/erlj.2025.02.07
Bibliographic citation: (ISSN 2657-9774) Educational Role of Language Journal. Volume 2025-2(14). THE ACTIVE DIMENSION OF LANGUAGE AND OF LINGUISTIC EDUCATION, pp. 95-114.
Abstract
This article examines how language education in England compares with that of six high-performing countries: Russia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Estonia, and Finland. It focuses on policy and practice in teaching about language, whether this is the pupils’ first language or any second language. Findings show that the other countries place language at the core of the curriculum, integrate first and second language instruction, and value explicit, linguistically informed teaching. In contrast, England, despite its pioneering contributions to language education theory, tends to ignore these innovations and pays little attention to knowledge about language. The review concludes with policy recommendations for embedding linguistic knowledge and teacher expertise in the English curriculum.
Keywords: language education, England, Russia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Estonia, Finland
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