English in Action

This cross-platform educational initiative draws on both information and communication technologies (ICTs) and face-to-face interactions to engage people in learning a new language. Both information sharing and entertainment-education figure prominently.

Specifically, a television drama is being supported by a language support programme that will be broadcast in the same week; together, these elements are designed to offer on-screen tutoring and behind-the-scenes footage. An audio lesson, covering that week's language learning, is being made available for viewers to download to their mobile phones immediately after the programme.

In-person exchanges are also being used to educate. English-language discussions, based on the BBC Bangladesh Sanglap programmes, feature a live audience posing questions to a panel that includes an English-speaking expert. Transcripts and language primers are made available following the broadcasts. To cite another example, as part of English in Action's youth discussion programme, young people in Bangladesh are linked up with their counterparts in other countries so that they may discuss issues such as family, gender roles, education, sport, popular culture, and work. Each programme includes an animation that offers guidance in debating and negotiating skills, plus key vocabulary and phrases on the week's topic. (This animation is also provided in audio and text format via mobile phone, and will be broadcast by cable and satellite television, internationally.)

Education, Economic Development.

According to the BBC WST, in 2001, 200,000 people in Bangladesh used mobile phones; as of February 2008, there were 37.5 million mobile phone users. Mobile coverage increased from 55% in 2004 to 95% by the end of 2006. 61% of the urban population and 15.5% of the rural population subscribe to mobiles. Grameenphone, the country's biggest mobile phone operator, estimates that the number of mobile phone users will reach 50 million by 2009.