Patricia Ryan: Don't insist on English!

The speaker shares personal experiences from teaching in the Gulf, highlighting the rapid globalization of English and its impact on language loss. They discuss how English teaching has evolved into a global business, creating barriers for non-native speakers. The importance of translation and historical examples of language diversity are emphasized. The speaker critiques the education system for equating intelligence with English proficiency and shares stories that illustrate the value of language diversity and innovation.

What was the speaker's initial experience in the Gulf related to?

• Studying local plants

• Working in the oil industry

• Teaching English in state schools

• Learning Arabic from students

How has the role of teaching English changed over the years according to the speaker?

• It has become less important

• It has remained the same

• It has become a global business

• It has been restricted to the UK

What concern does the speaker raise about English language tests for non-native speakers?

• They are too expensive

• They unfairly limit opportunities

• They are too easy

• They are not widely available

What historical period does the speaker reference to highlight the importance of translation?

• The Renaissance

• The Industrial Revolution

• The Enlightenment

• The Islamic Golden Age

What example does the speaker use to illustrate the impact of language barriers on scientific progress?

• A Spanish philosopher

• An Italian artist

• A German scientist

• A French mathematician

What did the speaker's daughter have to do when she moved to England?

• Learn a new language

• Translate her knowledge into English

• Start from scratch in her studies

• Attend a different school

What innovation did a young Kenyan boy create to help his village study at night?

• A wind-powered generator

• A cost-free solar lamp

• A water filtration system

• A new type of kerosene lamp

What does the speaker suggest about the relationship between intelligence and language knowledge?

• They are directly correlated

• They are unrelated

• They are arbitrarily linked

• They are inversely related

What does the speaker propose we should do with language?

• Use it to create barriers

• Use it to spread great ideas

• Use it to limit diversity

• Use it to enforce uniformity

What is the speaker's stance on the use of English as a global language?

• It should be celebrated but not as a barrier

• It should be the only language

• It should be replaced by another language

• It should be used as a barrier