Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 24, 2026

BBC Learning English

BBC Learning English is the English language teaching department within BBC World Service. It operates globally via its own website, multiple social media platforms and podcasts and with partners, particularly in China. It provides free English language learning resources for students and teachers.

Last revised
Jun 24, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
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498 w
Citations
12
Source
Wikipedia ↗


BBC Learning English is the English language teaching department within BBC World Service. It operates globally via its own website, multiple social media platforms and podcasts and with partners, particularly in China. It provides free English language learning resources for students and teachers.

The department collaborates with other BBC services. It provides the English language teaching segments for the BBC World Service DARS TV1 project and has worked with BBC Media Action to provide the English-language teaching materials for its Bengali program BBC Janala.

It has a number of partnerships in China and has also worked with numerous external organisations on projects including The Open University,2 British Council3 and English My Way.

BBC Learning English has audiences in most countries across the world helping them to develop and improve their English language skills.

The department has won numerous awards, including ELTons4 from the British Council, an award from MEDEA,5 the English Speaking Union award for innovation and, as part of BBC Janela, the Microsoft Award for Education6 and the GSMA Award for education technology.7

Current Platforms

Learners and teachers can find BBC Learning English’s content via the following platforms.

Brief history

The department was established in 1943.8 Since then, it has changed names multiple times,9 appearing as "English by Radio" (or ExR), "English by Radio and Television" and "BBC English", before arriving at "BBC Learning English". BBC World Service began broadcasting English language teaching programmes in 194310 for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners, for adult and children. There were number of series for teaching language comprehension with a help of song lyrics, such as Pop Words. It was usual for the major broadcasters in the 1950s to have a programme teaching the language of the country the broadcaster served.11

In August 2007, BBC Learning English announced a partnership with Xinjiang's Tianshannet.12

References

References

  1. Aman, Mariam (13 October 2023). "BBC show is a 'lifeline' for Afghan girls, UN says". BBC News.
  2. "BBC Learning English - The Open University: International Law". connect.open.ac.uk.
  3. "BBC | TeachingEnglish | British Council". www.teachingenglish.org.uk.
  4. "British Council 2011 ELTons Awards Winners". www.teachingenglish.org.uk.
  5. "MEDEA Awards 2008". Media and Learning Association. 21 January 2008.
  6. "BBC Janala receives Microsoft Education Award". The Daily Star.
  7. "The GSMA Announces Winners of the Annual Global Mobile Awards". GSMA.
  8. "Learning English - Specials - 70 years of BBC Learning English". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  9. "Learning English - Specials - BBC Learning English is 70". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  10. "Archive on 4 - Do You Speak English?".
  11. Hodge, Errol (1995). Radio Wars: Truth, Propaganda and the Struggle for Radio Australia. CUP Archive. ISBN 9780521473804.
  12. BBC World Service Publicity (29 August 2007). "BBC Learning English launches on tianshannet.com". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
External links