English: The language of the world?

English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Estimates range from 309 million to over 400 million native speakers worldwide, and a very high number of people speak English as a second language. The British Council have forecast that there will be 2 billion learners of English as a foreign language by 2016.

If English isn’t your first language, you may be interested in improving it so you can communicate better with these 2 billion or more people. If you are a native English speaker, you may think it is worth learning to teach it to others, especially as projected learner numbers are so high. Whichever option you are looking at, you have a number of choices available of how and where to learn.

If you want to improve your English the best thing to do is to go to an English-speaking country and sign up for ESOL or EFL classes. ESOL courses are for people wishing to live in the country and EFL are for people who want to learn for other reasons. You can find courses for all levels from beginners to proficiency level, as well as special business English courses. These can be full or part-time, and evening classes are provided in many cities. Depending on your circumstances you may also be able to find free lessons. There are also English language schools all over the world but you will miss out on the opportunity to mix with English speakers and experience the culture of an English speaking country.

There are some excellent on-line resources for improving your English too, some of which are free and some you have to pay for. It is always worth looking at the options available, especially if you are looking for extra practice outside your lessons.

If you want to learn to teach English, your best option is to do the CELTA course, particularly if you want to teach in a foreign country or in the UK private sector. This course is available in the UK and abroad. You can learn to teach English whilst spending time in another country such as Spain, Russia or Italy, and you may then have a better chance of getting a teaching job at the school you learned in. These courses generally last around a month full time, and are usually worth the cost. Of course, combining the qualification with learning a little of another language such as Spanish or French is a huge bonus.

If you complete your CELTA course and have a minimum of two years’ experience, you can take the DELTA course (Diploma). This is also available in English speaking countries and many countries abroad, mainly Asia and Europe.

You can teach English abroad without getting a qualification. If you have a degree there are some places, generally in the Far East, who will employ you. If you’ve always wanted to learn some Chinese or Japanese then this may be a good option for you.

Whether you want to learn more English or learn to teach English, then why not take action now?

Paula is a qualified EFL teacher who has taught in the UK and abroad. She has also taught adult literacy and numeracy in prisons and is now combining a small amount of private teaching with writing.