Language is central to learning. Across many contexts worldwide, schools and classrooms bring together learners with diverse linguistic backgrounds and identities. This diversity enriches communities but also requires careful decisions about which languages are used in education, and how. In multilingual contexts – including those shaped by colonial histories or high mobility – these decisions are often complex.
Globally most education systems share a common ambition: to equip learners with the communication skills needed to succeed locally and globally. Evidence shows that inclusive language‑in‑education policies help achieve this goal when they are supported with appropriate resources. Our updated, language-responsive, position forms part of the British Council’s ongoing effort to understand what inclusive language policy and practice look like in varied contexts, and to learn from systems responding effectively to learners’ linguistic realities.
We do not advise as to when or whether countries should transition to English medium education. Instead, we emphasise that decisions about language in education must be made locally, shaped by contextual, social, economic, political and historical factors. What matters most is how well systems support learning. Learners need strong foundations in both a familiar language and English; teachers require appropriate support and preparation; and schools need suitable teaching and learning materials and assessments. Language is a fundamental consideration across policy, curriculum, assessment, teaching and teacher education.
Citation
British Council (2026). Language-responsive education: The British Council’s position on inclusive language policy and practice. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/9MJB-N264
