Learning English with The Archers

Up there with the Royal family, tea and queuing, The Archers is undoubtedly a quintessentially British thing. Last year there was even an academic study into why The Archers is a valuable record of the English language.

Now, two primary school teachers have called on the world's longest-running serial drama to help teach English. Keen to take a fresh approach with their creative writing classes, Mrs Elvin and Mrs Cardiff, introduced their pupils to The Archers.

The children, some of whom had never heard of The Archers, listened to the programme and then had a go at writing their own versions. But the programme provided more than a reliable example of English dialogue. "It also led to great discussions about where The Archers was set and life in the UK as many of our students are unfamiliar with this environment", say the two teachers.

That’s because Mrs Elvin and Mrs Cardiff teach at the Compass International School in Doha which has around 60 nationalities in its cohort of pupils. Head of Primary at the school’s Madinat Khalifa Campus in the Qatari capital, Jimmy Frawley, says, "The children were asked to think about what was happening in the drama and how character intonation and sound effects were used to enhance the telling of the story."

And The Archers’ impact extended beyond the classroom. Jimmy adds, "it ignited interest in parents as well, with interesting conversations at the school gates and the sound of students (and teachers) humming the theme tune in the playground and around school!"

Here’s to a new generation of international Archers listeners!