You¡¯ve probably heard the word ¡°inclusive¡± more and more in recent years, though I first encountered it over 20 years ago. (I say 20 because that¡¯s when I graduated, and we had a course on diverse learners called ¡°individual differences.¡± But back then, actually meeting their needs wasn¡¯t nearly as comprehensive as it is today.)
Today, learners come with a wide range of proficiency levels, cognitive styles, educational background, and personal goals. That¡¯s why ¡ª it¡¯s essential. In simple terms, inclusive teaching means making sure all learners feel they belong and can succeed.
It calls for differentiated instruction, flexible assessment and learning materials that respect individual needs. That¡¯s where the Global Scale of English (GSE) comes in.
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The?Global Scale of English?(GSE), acts like a detailed map of English proficiency, breaking down skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing from 10 to 90. Its ¡°can-do¡± statements clearly show what learners can do at each stage, removing guesswork about their readiness. Instead of just labeling a student as "intermediate", you can specify skills like "taking messages", "communicating enquiries" and "explaining problems" (GSE 53 ¨C Skill: writing).
These descriptors are "SMART":
This supports the kind of individualized goal-setting that inclusive teaching demands (Kormos, 2017).
One of the first steps in inclusive teaching is figuring out each learner's starting point, which is challenging in a diverse classroom. The GSE helps track progress in listening, speaking, reading and writing, .
For example, two learners in the same "intermediate" class may have different skills: one may excel in discussion but struggle with writing, while the other may be the opposite. The GSE can identify these differences, allowing tailored support instead of generic solutions.
Once you understand your learners' starting point, the next step is knowing where and how to guide them. The GSE simplifies this with its library of clear, ready-to-use "can-do" statements. Unlike vague goals such as ¡°improve reading¡± these are specific targets like ¡°Can understand short, simple personal emails and letters¡± (GSE 37). This clarity helps learners see progress and keeps your planning and feedback focused.
Example:?For a learner with dyslexia who excels in speaking and listening but struggles with reading and writing, the GSE allows you to highlight strengths like ¡°Can give or seek personal views and opinions in discussing topics of interest.¡± (GSE 46) and areas for support such as ¡°Can make simple, logical paragraph breaks in a longer text.¡± (GSE 45).
Now that you¡¯ve set personalized goals, you can adapt one task to meet various needs in the classroom while staying aligned with the same learning outcome. No need for multiple lesson plans ¨C just tweak the task with the GSE as your guide.
To make that happen, you might:
Example: If the class aims for "Can write an email¡± (GSE 36¨C50), one group uses a sentence-starter, another writes freely, and a third refines tone and style. It¡¯s the same task, adapted to each learner's level.
And what about ESP? If you¡¯re teaching something like English for Nursing, the GSE can still help, for example, by timing your content so that learners won¡¯t be overwhelmed.
Example ¨C English for Nursing:
Instead of jumping into complex hospital vocabulary too soon, you can scaffold toward it with general English descriptors.
Assessment can make or break an inclusive classroom. Done well, it opens doors; done poorly, it can shut them. The GSE helps you design assessments that:
To make this work in practice, you can:
Example: For the goal ¡°Can understand short, simple personal emails and letters", let learners choose between writing to a friend, replying to an invitation, or requesting information from a company. The objective is the same, but the paths to get there are different.
And for learners who are neurodiverse? You can:
These aren¡¯t extra accommodations, they¡¯re examples of good teaching.
To recap, the GSE helps us set goals with students, track progress via portfolios, offer task choices, scaffold lessons, introduce ESP content when ready and design group work based on GSE strengths.
Read our blog posts 'GSE Teacher Toolkit: Teaching mixed ability classes' and 'Why don¡¯t my students speak English in class?'.
Hebatallah Morsy has over 18 years of experience in teaching, curriculum design, and educational leadership. She¡¯s worked with prestigious national and international organizations, where she¡¯s led everything from curriculum development to launching creative initiatives like extracurricular clubs for eager learners. A regular at ELT conferences, she enjoys sharing insights on educational development, assessment, and teacher growth¡ªalways with a fresh perspective and a thoughtful approach.
In a previous blog, we shared some?strange English phrases that might have left you with some questions. The English language is full of peculiar phrases that can even confuse fluent speakers. In today's post, we'll take a look at a few more such phrases to help you expand your repertoire.
English is the second most widely spoken language ¨C it is estimated that nearly two billion people worldwide can speak English at a useful level. That means they can hold a conversation with other English-speaking people.
A report by the attests the importance of the English language to the world, and says that?second-language English speakers far outnumber fluent English speakers. It also recognizes how being able to speak English can give individuals a competitive edge over others. If you're asking the question, "Why should I learn English?", read on to find out more...
What is it about music that helps boost your English skills, confidence and pronunciation? A song can provide an emotional connection between the music and the listener, providing learners with new ways to express their feelings. Music and rhythm have also been shown to benefit memorization, which is a key component of learning.
Here are some of our favorite lyrics to some of our favorite songs:
The Beatles are the best band to help you learn English. There are many Beatles songs with catchy melodies and simple lyrics, but Blackbird captures the Fab Four at their most poetic:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
This song is a great way to help learn the days of the week (that may be obvious). Love is also a very popular English word, so this one is for all the romantics out there.
Always take a big bite
It¡¯s such a gorgeous sight
To see you eat in the middle of the night
Another one for the lovers, Ed¡¯s heartfelt lyrics are huge in the mainstream pop charts. Here, he tells the sweet story of long-time love in this ballad and he¡¯s becoming one of the world¡¯s most sought-after songwriters.
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
This classic from Morrissey and co was voted runner-up in VH1¡¯s Top Lyrics poll, for the lyrics: So you go and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home and you cry and you want to die¡¯ but it¡¯s the opening lines of the song that are the most intriguing. Firstly, they¡¯re adapted from George Eliot¡¯s novel Middlemarch and include some rather clever double meanings ¨C namely ¡®son¡¯ (sun) and ¡®heir¡¯ (air).
I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
This was Neil Young¡¯s only number-one hit single from 1972¡¯s Harvest album. He uses simple lyrics and melodies to tell his story of searching for true love.
I¡¯ve been in my mind
It¡¯s such a fine line
That keeps me searchin¡¯ for a heart of gold
And I¡¯m gettin¡¯ old
U2 is the second-best band to help you learn English and frontman Bono is the second-best male artist to help you learn (edged out by Justin Timberlake). The chorus was inspired by a moment during a performance in New York City, when Bono saw the audience lit up and shouted, ¡°Oh, you look so beautiful tonight!¡±
And I miss you when you¡¯re not around
I¡¯m getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
These lyrics are a good use of repetition and rhyme, which is excellent for helping memorization. Most people consider this a love song, but that¡¯s a common mistake. In 1983, Sting was interviewed for New Musical Express and explained: ¡°I think it¡¯s a nasty little song, really rather evil. It¡¯s about jealousy and surveillance and ownership.¡±
Every move you make and every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I¡¯ll be watching you
Every move you make, every step you take, I¡¯ll be watching you
Dylan¡¯s whimsical, poetic lyrics might be difficult for an English language learner to interpret, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re not a pleasure to listen and sing along to.
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I¡¯m not sleepy and there is no place I¡¯m going to
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I¡¯ll come followin¡¯ you
This song takes you through the daily goings-on in a typical household in the 80s. This song has been around for a while now but is a story that most people can still connect with. This is an excellent song for understanding the concept of nostalgia!
I remember way back then when
everything was true and when
we would have such a very good time
such a fine time
Sadly, Otis Redding lost his life in a plane crash shortly after this song was recorded, and it was released after his death. His lyrics are quite reflective, provoking both contentment and sadness. You can really imagine yourself sitting on the dock with his simple yet descriptive words.
Sittin¡¯ in the morning sun
I¡¯ll be sittin¡¯ when the evening comes
Watching the ships roll in
Then I watch them roll away again
No list of standout turns of phrase would be complete without Leonard Cohen, a man whose songwriting process is so painstaking he¡¯ll often spend years on the same song. When quizzed on his process, Cohen once said it often took so long because, ¡°After a while, if you stick with the song long enough it will yield.¡± It¡¯s interesting to note then that, even for a master of the English language, the words don¡¯t always come easily. Everybody Knows remains a firm favorite among fans, with the majority of lines starting with the words ¡®Everybody knows¡¡¯ It¡¯s a lengthy song, but for the sheer beauty of its words and phrasing, the opening lines are a highlight:
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows that the good guys lost
