TransformELT and NILE are working in partnership with the British Council and the Government of Sri Lanka on a long-term project in Sri Lanka to support the development of employability skills, including English, for young people, through the provision of fit for purpose English language teaching. The initial project focuses on identifying the gap between current and desired levels of performance. Building on the English Impact Report: Sri Lanka, which identified low levels of English language proficiency among learners, the current study explores the English language levels of teachers.

A nationwide sample of 500 teachers from urban, semi-urban and rural areas has been identified. British Council teams are inviting these teachers to take Aptis tests and complete an online survey to gather data on teacher English language proficiency, learning history, motivations and aspirations. Dave Allan from NILE has developed the sampling strategy and will be analysing the results. Alan Mackenzie of TransformELT has designed the survey and will reporting on those findings. Sarah Mount of TransformELT is managing the project.

It is hoped that the results of this study will make a direct contribution to thought leadership on teacher education and continuing professional development within Sri Lanka. We also aim to provide insight into the wider national debate on EMI while reinforcing UK expertise in this area.