-Step by step video

36 min readNov 19, 2021

Have you considered video blogging?

In the age where online reality is replacing actual reality in every facet of our lives, having YOUR face behind YOUR virtual real estate is paramount for people to feel close(er) to you.

This blog post will be your comprehensive guide.

Why Video Blogging?

Video blogging helps you build connections with your viewers like no other blogging format. The close second is perhaps audio.

A case in point is Michael Stelzner. He’s the face behind your favorite business blog SocialMediaExaminer.com, and he used this method to introduce himself and his website to his audience in a very effective way. Have you introduced video content to your personal or business blog? If not, why?

The usual excuses given are “I don’t have the right equipment” or “it takes too much time” or “I’m not entirely sure how the whole process works.”

In this article, I’ll show you the minimal, yet crucial, amount of equipment you’ll need and the quick and dirty way of getting your videos out there in record time.

So let’s get started.

Shooting a Video

#1: Audio

It may seem bizarre to start an article about online video blogs by talking about audio, but “hear” me out. (Pun totally intended).

Even if video comes out totally terrible, you can still salvage your shoot by turning your video post into an audio post. So how do we make sure audio comes out OK?

Many low-end and certainly mid-level camcorders come with a MIC in port. Buy an external microphone, plug it in and beyond that, all you have to do is make sure your levels are decent and you’re all set.

If you have a camera that doesn’t have a MIC in, you can record the audio on a separate device and merge the audio with video in post-production.

Tip: You can easily sync audio and video in post-production by using your hands to clap a few times to denote the starting points in which audio and video should match up. The audio spikes will be visible in the editing software and can then be synchronized with the video of you clapping.

If you’re forced to use the camera’s built-in microphone, be keenly aware of the following two factors:

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Environmental — for example, a strong wind if you’re shooting outside and electromagnetic interference or air conditioner noise if shooting inside.
Position of subjects — you’ll notice how on-cam MIC mostly picks up the person shooting the video while the subject who is few feet away (or further) is quite low during audio playback.

In other words, be prepared to do some post-production magic to get the audio properly leveled and equalized.

Alternatively, you can look for the magic spot through experimentation that will yield good-enough results with minimal post-production editing.

#2: Lighting

If you’re going to spend money, this is the area where most of your budget should go. If there’s one thing video experts agree on, it’s the paramount importance of proper lighting in shooting a video. In fact, proper lighting is more important than the type of camera you use. Why?

Most modern digital cameras (even cheapos) are quite serviceable and have good-enough resolution for YouTube.

Whenever possible, take advantage of natural light. Make sure the source of the light (usually sun, or if indoors it’s the window) is always behind the camera (or slightly to the side).

Here is some “lighting” terminology you ought to be familiar with before we list the types of lighting equipment you may consider.

Key Light: As its name implies, this is the “main” light. Usually placed to the right of the camera and about 3 feet above the subject’s eye level (thereby emulating downward casting naturally produced by the sun).

Fill Light: This lighting fixture is placed on the other side of the camera and its job is to “fill” the shadow cast produced by the key light.

Back Light: Placed behind the subject. This light is sometimes called “head and shoulders” light because that’s the part of the subject it ought to illuminate.

Light kit options abound, but do keep in mind that entry-level lights — while quite affordable — will only last for few hundred shoots at the most.

Trick: Proper lighting is as much a science as it is an art. Having proper equipment and a zeal for experimentation are paramount. Have fun with it and allow imperfections to slide.

No-one expects Hollywood-style production from your blog. In fact, polished videos reek of corporate subterfuge so much that even content-producers who CAN make a polished video choose not to. You can check out these videos on lighting, they’re free, authoritative and extremely useful.

#3: Camera

What kind of camera will you need to do online video? Well… what kind of camera do you have? I would definitely start there.

I’ve started out with a $75.00 cam I purchased at Rite Aid, then moved on to a $300.00 cam with an external MIC-in, and now mostly shoot with the new Olympus. They all do a fine job. In fact, even a PC cam will do.

Real Life: Most of the videos I make for my Facebook dog-crew on how to use Twitter are done using a PC camera. Why? Because it’s quick and easy. The idea is to get your face out there so that clients and potential customers can see you, hear from you and “feel” like they know you.

Golden rule of sales: People buy from people they know and like.

What to consider when choosing a camera:

Video Format: Some manufacturers save the on-cam video in proprietary formats that require special software to be converted into standard video formats (.mov, .mp4, .avi, etc.). Look for a cam that natively records in the format understood by your video editing software.

Sound: Look for a cam that has an external MIC-in. See the Audio section in the beginning of the article.

Storage: I like cams that use SD cards for storage instead of internal HD. It’s a preference, but SD cards allow for easy transfer between cam and computer (no cable necessary) and I can carry multiple SD cards in case one fills up and I need more space on-the-fly.

Batteries: Some cams can only be charged via a USB or power cable while others allow for replacement batteries that are charged independently. Having a spare battery for extended shoots comes in handy.

Size: The best camera is the one that you’ll actually use. So a small cam (iPhone or Flip Cam) that fits in your pocket and can be used on a moment’s notice may be exactly what you need. Otherwise, be prepared to carry your equipment with you wherever you go.

Beyond these five points, just make sure you can afford the cam and look for one that can be mounted on a tripod in case you need that functionality (most bloggers will at some point).

#4: Screen Capture

Who said you even need a camera to produce your next video post?

You can use software like Camtasia (for PC) and ScreenFlow (for Mac) to capture your computer screen. Combine it with an audio track and you can create visually rich and useful instructions for your viewership.

Tip: I strongly recommend you wear a pair of headphones with a mic while recording the accompanying audio track. This will eliminate the bulk of the ambient noise.

Honorable Mention: Screenr is a Twitter-integrated free online service that allows you to create screen casts. It’s quick and dirty and exactly how I like ‘em.

Editing a Video

(don’t edit if possible)

#5: Editing on YouTube

If at all possible, for the sake of speed and simplicity, don’t edit your videos.
The next step up from there is to edit (trim) the very beginning and the very end. In fact, you can do this on YouTube.

Trick (sort of): You’ll need to have your video uploaded and sign in with your Google/YouTube credentials.

Confession: YouTube has had a checkered past with online editing. The feature was available a while back but it was pulled due to molasses-on-a-cold-day qualities of its “speed.”

Now that YouTube is owned by Google, the powerful infrastructure is there to support simple editing capabilities. No, this feature is not part of YouTube-proper, but it’s available under the “sandbox” area which can be accessed here.

YouTube has a really good help section that gives you the basic info you need to create effective videos, from formatting and editing to lighting and split screens. See here.

Trick: Make sure your URL is the first line in the description of the video. This will make it easy for people to locate and visit your virtual real estate. See the link here as the very first line in the description field below.

Optionally, you can embed your website’s URL in the video itself; however, you’ll need to use a locally installed video editing app to do this. See next section.

#6: Editing Using Locally Installed Apps

MovieMaker (on Windows) and iMovie (on Mac) are free and quite serviceable.

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If you don’t mind spending a few hundred bucks, my favorite apps for editing a video locally are Camtasia (for PC) and ScreenFlow (for Mac).

Trick: Yes. The same apps that allow you to capture your screen also allow for basic (but sufficient) video editing as well.

These two apps are quick, easy and intuitive. Here are the links to those tutorials again.

More advanced solutions include Final Cut (Express and Pro versions) for Mac and Sony Vegas Studio HD for PC.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a great (and free) online training resource for Final Cut.

Check out this course by Israel Hyman. The course consists of 16 wonderful and free video tutorials.

Larger Implications: The subtle implication of all this is that if it feels like the days of specialization are over, well… you’re right.

Specialization is a concept invented by the cogs of the industrial revolution and it’s NOT a natural state of the human psyche.

Imagine if Leonardo da Vinci specialized only in art. The world of science and architecture would have a gaping hole in it.

My point?

We all need to become jacks of all trades and masters of few. It’s not enough to be an amazing real estate agent or a photographer; you must also become an effective content producer.

Distribution Channels

#7: YouTube

YouTube is the second largest search engine. That should speak volumes in terms of the significance and importance of having a presence on YouTube. The other important factor is that YouTube is a social networking site on par with Facebook. You can make friends on YouTube (subscribe to channels) and others can make friends with you (subscribe to your channel).

YouTube allows you to tag your videos, share them easily on other sites (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), and it’s as socially integrated as a site gets. There are two very solid arguments to focus your strategic efforts ONLY on YouTube (basically ignoring other platforms like Vimeo).

YouTube is the largest and arguably best integrated with Google and other colossal Internet hubs (in fact, YouTube IS an Internet hub of its own). If mastering multiple platforms seems like an overwhelming task, you would be well-advised to focus your blogging efforts on YouTube alone.

OK, Dino. I hear what you’re saying. But what kind of things should I put on YouTube anyways?

Well, here are some ideas.

#8: Other Distribution Options

blip.tv

blip.tv is not your average bear. The focus is on episodic content and the unique feature of blip.tv is that it can distribute your episodes to other video distribution sites (like YouTube, Vimeo, etc.).

Assuming your content qualifies, your episodes can be viewed via cable service providers (on TV) who’ve partnered with blip.tv.

Vimeo

Vimeo was established in 2004 (one year before YouTube) and it’s a solid alternative to YouTube geared toward skilled content producers. Vimeo doesn’t allow commercial, gaming or pornography videos; or anything NOT created by the user to be hosted on the site.

As per Wikipedia: As of March 2010, Vimeo has over 3 million members and an average of more than 16,000 new videos uploaded daily. Roughly 10% of uploads are in HD.

Honorable mention: TubeMogul can distribute your videos far and wide (to other video distribution hubs like YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) and provides powerful statistical analysis and even geographic tracking. Most advanced features are pay-to-play, of course.

The Secret Sauce

#9: Blog/YouTube Integration

This section is strictly for owners of self-hosted WordPress blogs. I will recommend 2+ WordPress plugins that are seldom used yet provide a powerful integration between your blog and YouTube.

Genki YouTube Comments plugin

After uploading your video to YouTube, you did remember to embed it as a blog post in your piece of web real estate, right?

If your tags are useful, your descriptions accurate and your content fascinating, you’re likely to receive comments on it. Why not “feed” those comments back to your blog using Genki?

Smart YouTube

Smart YouTube is a WordPress YouTube plugin that allows you to easily insert YouTube videos/playlists in your post, comments and in RSS feeds.

But wait…there is more…

The success of your videos will depend not only on the quality of the content. Your video blog should be easily shared and content seamlessly posted on other social hubs (like Facebook, StumbleUpon, etc.).

To that end, you may want to consider these additional useful plugins:

#10: When You’re Ready to Go Pro

This entire post was focused on the do-it-yourself crowd. When you’re ready to go pro and enlist help from people who have the deep know-how, there are three people whose work I’m personally familiar with and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Full disclosure: While I’ve worked in one capacity or another with two of these content creators, it was strictly a labor of love and no money has exchanged hands at any time.

TWTMedia

TWTMedia is Tony Brokenborough, the man and the brains behind 2wheeltips.com (Facebook-like social site for motorcycle enthusiasts with a heavy educational slant).

Here are a few challenges Tony has had to overcome that you might benefit from if you enlist his services:

Motorcycle videos present a unique challenge in terms of not only shooting but also post-production stabilization processing due to vibrations introduced by the motorcycle.

One of the major drawbacks of having your videos hosted on YouTube is that YouTube might end up playing your competitors’ ads over your video content. You have no control over this and it can prove to be a case of your content working for your competitor.

Tony has figured out how to have complete and total control over the video content to the extent where he is playing the role of YouTube-like service to websites that feature his high-end quality motorcycle videos — and Tony is the one “feeding” the ads.

TWTMedia also specializes in Facebook fan page customization, particularly in the realm of Facebook/video integration.

Graphic Planet

Graphic Planet is Kenn Bell. If you decide to visit The Dog Files (Kenn’s labor of love and an effective showcase for his skills), you’ll find TV-ready 10-minute episodes, production values of which are head-and-shoulders above your average video blog.

In addition to creating killer video content, Kenn really knows how to tap into the power of the niche. Kenn’s latest video honoring Hero Dogs of 9/11 blew up among dog people.

Over 100,000 views (in less than 2 weeks) and 4000 of his closest Facebook friends shared his video on their Facebook walls.

Kenn’s magic is that he’s able to take your modest budget for a video shoot and churn out an episode that looks like a million bucks.

Last but certainly not least is…

Dan Perez Films

Dan’s work is awesome. It’s fresh, fun and addictive. Check out the brains behind Dan Perez Films video.

It doesn’t take much to fall in love with Dan’s video creations. I guess the fact that he’s an award-winning filmmaker, video producer, father and husband to a rock star doesn’t hurt either.

All three of these gentlemen are not only amazing content creators whose medium happens to be video, but all three have a deep understanding of the social media space and can help your company develop the right strategy for online video distribution.

#11: Bonus Tip: Skype, Skype Baby

One of the most underutilized methods of creating video content is having a sit-down with an expert in your field and recording the entire conversation. However, experts are often far away and that can present a challenge. In comes Skype.

Trick: In addition to Skype, you’ll need an application that can capture streaming video/audio.

Two apps I’ve used are:

You can schedule a Skype interview with someone on the other side of the planet and record the entire conversation. What a great way to develop content and provide a service to your viewers as well as a platform for the expert. Because the interview is recorded, you can edit audio and video in post-production, trim the fat, add an intro if necessary and fine-tune the audio levels.

Here is a Skype interview Tony and I did with motorcycle legend David Hough using Skype and Call Recorder.

Honorable mention:

wetoku allows you to record and share a conversation between two people. The drawback is that you don’t have as much editing control over the content.

What do you think? I’m sure there’s an amazing resource, application or perhaps a technique that I’ve missed. Something you’ve had experience with and found tremendously useful. Add your thoughts in the comments box below.

Two minutes of above

Recently, I’ve been following a simple rule that is helping me crush procrastination and making it easier for me to stick to good habits at the same time.

I want to share it with you today so that you can try it out and see how it works in your life.

The best part? It’s a simple strategy that couldn’t be easier to use.

Here’s what you need to know…

How to Stop Procrastinating With the “2–Minute Rule”

I call this little strategy the “2–Minute Rule” and the goal is to make it easier for you to get started on the things you should be doing.

Here’s the deal…

Most of the tasks that you procrastinate on aren’t actually difficult to do — you have the talent and skills to accomplish them — you just avoid starting them for one reason or another.

The 2–Minute Rule overcomes procrastination and laziness by making it so easy to start taking action that you can’t say no.

There are two parts to the 2–Minute Rule…

Part 1 — If it takes less than two minutes, then do it now.

This part originally comes from David Allen’s bestselling book, Getting Things Done.

It’s surprising how many things we put off that we could get done in two minutes or less. For example, washing your dishes immediately after your meal, tossing the laundry in the washing machine, taking out the garbage, cleaning up clutter, sending that email, and so on.

If a task takes less than two minutes to complete, then follow the rule and do it right now.

Part 2 — When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.

Can all of your goals be accomplished in less than two minutes? Obviously not.

But, every goal can be started in 2 minutes or less. And that’s the purpose behind this little rule.

It might sound like this strategy is too basic for your grand life goals, but I beg to differ. It works for any goal because of one simple reason: the physics of real life.

The Physics of Real Life

As Sir Isaac Newton taught us a long time ago, objects at rest tend to stay at rest and objects in motion tend to stay in motion. This is just as true for humans as it is for falling apples.

The 2–Minute Rule works for big goals as well as small goals because of the inertia of life. Once you start doing something, it’s easier to continue doing it. I love the 2–Minute Rule because it embraces the idea that all sorts of good things happen once you get started.

Want to become a better writer? Just write one sentence (2–Minute Rule), and you’ll often find yourself writing for an hour.

Want to eat healthier? Just eat one piece of fruit (2–Minute Rule), and you’ll often find yourself inspired to make a healthy salad as well.

Want to make reading a habit? Just read the first page of a new book (2–Minute Rule), and before you know it, the first three chapters have flown by.

Want to run three times a week? Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, just get your running shoes on and get out the door (2–Minute Rule), and you’ll end up putting mileage on your legs instead of popcorn in your stomach.

The 2–Minute Rule isn’t about the results you achieve, but rather about the process of actually doing the work. The focus is on taking action and letting things flow from there.

The most important part of any new habit is getting started — not just the first time, but each time. It’s not about performance, it’s about consistently taking action. This is especially true in the beginning because there will be plenty of time to improve your performance later on.

For more ideas on making it easier to get started and about the importance of focusing on the process and not the result, read this article and this one.

Try It Now

I can’t guarantee whether or not the 2–Minute Rule will work for you. But, I can guarantee that it will never work if you never try it.

The problem with most articles you read, podcasts you listen to, or videos you watch is that you consume the information but never put it into practice.

I want this article to be different. I want you to actually use this information, right now.

What’s something you can do that will take you less than two minutes? Do it right now.

Anyone can spare the next 120 seconds. Use this time to get one thing done. Go.

Done in English

An English-medium education system is one that uses English as the primary medium of instruction — particularly where English is not the mother tongue of the students.

Initially this is associated with the expansion of English from its homeland in England and the lowlands of Scotland and its spread to the rest of Great Britain and Ireland, beginning in the sixteenth century. The rise of the British Empire increased the language’s spread to British colonies [1][2] and in many of these it has remained the medium of education. The increased economic and cultural influence of the United States since World War II has also furthered the global spread of English,[1][2] as has the rapid spread of Internet and other technologies.[3] As a result of this, in many states throughout the world where English is not the predominant language there are English-medium schools. Also in higher education, due to the recent trend towards internationalization, an increasing number of degree courses, particularly at Master’s level, are being taught through the medium of English.[4]

Known as English-Medium Instruction[5] (EMI), or ICLHE (Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education),[6] this rapidly growing phenomenon has been contested in many contexts.[7]

By country[edit]

Canada[edit]

Main article: Education in Canada

Further information: Language policies of Canada’s provinces and territories, Official bilingualism in Canada, and Timeline of official languages policy in Canada

Education is a provincial matter under the Canadian constitution, section 92. French language rights have been guaranteed in the province of Quebec since the Treaty of Paris 1763, French outside of Quebec and all other minority languages have faced laws against them at one time or another. English-only education laws were gradually rolled out across Canada during the nineteenth and twentieth century, culminating in the Manitoba Schools Question 1896 and Regulation 17 in Ontario in 1912, which both attacked French and other European minority languages, and the Indian residential schools system which attacked Aboriginal languages.

These policies were gradually abolished in the wake of Canada’s adoption of official bilingualism (French/English) in 1969 and multiculturalism in 1971, but English remains the predominant language of education outside of Quebec and New Brunswick.

Wales[edit]

Further information: Welsh medium education

The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542, passed by the Parliament of England, annexing Wales to the Kingdom of England are sometimes known as the “Acts of Union.”

An often quoted example of the effects on the Welsh language is the first section of the 1535 Act, which states: “the people of the same dominion have and do daily use a speche nothing like ne consonant to the naturall mother tonge used within this Realme” and then declares the intention “utterly to extirpe alle and singular sinister usages and customs” belonging to Wales.[8]

Section 20 of the 1535 Act makes English the only language of the law courts and that those who used Welsh would not be appointed to any public office in Wales:

Also be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Justices, Commissioners, Sheriffs, Coroners, Escheators, Stewards, and their Lieutenants, and all other Officers and Ministers of the Law, shall proclaim and keep the Sessions Courts, Hundreds, Leets, Sheriffs Courts, and all other Courts in the English Tongue;
(2) and all Oaths of Officers, Juries and Inquests, and all other Affidavits, Verdicts and Wager of Law, to be given and done in the English Tongue;
(3) and also that from henceforth no Person or Persons that use the Welsh Speech or Language, shall have or enjoy any manner Office or Fees within this Realm of England, Wales, or other the King’s Dominion, upon Pain of forfeiting the same Offices or Fees, unless he or they use and exercise the English Speech or Language.

An effect of this language clause was to lay the foundation for creating a thoroughly Anglicised ruling class of landed gentry in Wales, which would have many consequences.

The parts of the 1535 Act relating to language were definitively repealed only in 1993, by the Welsh Language Act 1993, though annotations on the Statute Law Database copy of the act reads that sections 18–21 were repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1887.[citation needed]

In July 1846, the British Government appointed three commissioners to inquire into the state of education in Wales; the Commissioners were all monoglot English-speakers.[9]

The Commissioners reported to the Government on 1 July 1847 in three large blue-bound volumes — the ‘’Reports of the Commissioners of Inquiry into the state of education in Wales”. This report quickly became known as Brad y Llyfrau Gleision (The Treachery of the Blue Books) as, apart from documenting the state of education in Wales, the Commissioners were also free with their comments disparaging the language, Non-conformity, and the morals of the Welsh people in general. An immediate effect of the report was for a belief to take root in the minds of ordinary people that the only way for Welsh people to get on in the world was through the medium of English, and an inferiority complex developed about the Welsh language whose effects have not yet been completely eradicated. The historian Professor Kenneth O. Morgan referred to the significance of the report and its consequences as “the Glencoe and the Amritsar of Welsh history”.[10]

Ireland[edit]

The poet Edmund Spenser wrote[11] in (1596) a recommendation that “the Irish … be educated in English, in grammar and in science … for learning hath that wonderful power of itself that it can soften and temper the most stern and savage nature.”

The setting up of ‘Royal Schools’ in Ireland, was proclaimed in 1608 by James I, with the intended purpose “that there shall be one Free School at least appointed in every County, for the education of youth in learning and religion.”

These schools provided an English-medium education to the sons of landed settlers in Ireland, most of whom were of Scottish or English descent.

However, only five such schools were actually set up; The Royal School, Armagh in County Armagh, Portora Royal School in County Fermanagh, The Cavan Royal School in County Cavan, The Royal School Dungannon in Tyrone and The Royal and Prior School in County Donegal.

The National Education System[12] (sic) was founded in 1831, by the British Government, under the direction of the Chief Secretary, E.G. Stanley. Some 2,500 national schools were established in Ulster in the period 1832–1870, built with the aid of the Commissioners of National Education and local trustees.

Prof. S. Ó Buachalla states:

During the first four decades of their existence, there is no mention of the Irish language in the programme of regulations of the Commissioners of National Education; furthermore no provision whatsoever was made in 1831 when the original scheme was drawn up for education of those children who spoke Irish only. According to the official opinion of later Commissioners, expressed in a formal reply to the Chief Secretary in 1884, “ the anxiety of the promoters of the National Scheme was to encourage the cultivation of the English language.[13]

The Irish patriot P.H. Pearse published a series of studies of the English-medium education system in Ireland. His article entitled The Murder Machine[14] embodies an article which appeared in the Irish Review for February 1913.

Pearse wrote in his pamphlet the following:

And English education in Ireland has seemed: to some like the bed of Procustes, the bed on which all men that passed that way must lie, be it never so big for them, be it never so small for them: the traveller for whom it was too large had his limbs stretched until he filled it; the traveller for whom it was too small had his limbs chopped off until he fitted into it — comfortably. It was a grim jest to play upon travellers. The English have done it to Irish children not by way of jest, but with a purpose. Our English-Irish systems took, and take, absolutely no cognisance of the differences between individuals, of the differences between localities, of the: differences between urban and rural communities, of the differences springing from a different ancestry, Gaelic or Anglo-Saxon.

Scotland[edit]

Further information: Gaelic medium education in Scotland

Attempts were made by legislation, in the later medieval and early modern period, to establish English at first among the aristocracy and increasingly amongst all ranks by education acts and parish schools. The Parliament of Scotland passed some ten such acts between 1494 and 1698.

In 1609 nine Gaelic chieftains were abducted and forced to sign the Statutes of Iona,[15] which would seem to have been designed specifically to Anglicize leaders and institutions of Gaelic society, in order to bring it under control of central government.

Among the items listed in this agreement was the “planting of the gospell among these rude, barbarous, and uncivill people” by Protestant churches; the outlawing of bards who were traditionally on circuit between the houses of noblemen; the requirement that all men of wealth send their heirs to be educated in Lowland schools where they would be taught to “speik, reid, and wryte Inglische.”

The then King James VI, followed this by the School Establishment Act 1616, which sought to establish schools in every parish in the Scottish Highlands so that “the youth be exercised and trayned up in civilitie, godlines, knawledge, and learning, that the vulgar Inglische toung be universallie plantit, and the Irische language, whilk is one of the chief and principall causes of the continewance of barbaritie and incivilitie amongis the inhabitantis of the Ilis and Heylandis, may be abolisheit and removeit.”[16]

In 1709 the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge (SSPCK) was established in order to further funding sources for Highland church schools. All manner of incentives and punishments were used to stop children from speaking Scottish Gaelic. The SSPCK had five schools by 1711, 25 by 1715, 176 by 1758 and 189 by 1808, by then with 13,000 pupils attending. At first the SSPCK avoided using the Gaelic language with the result that pupils ended up learning by rote without understanding what they were reading. In 1741 the SSPCK introduced a Gaelic-English vocabulary, then in 1766 brought in a New Testament with facing pages of Gaelic and English texts for both languages to be read alongside one another, with more success. After a number of years of unsuccessful attempts at English-only teaching methods, it was realized that literacy in Gaelic was a much more effective means of teaching and a bridge towards fluency in English.[17]

Since 1918 education acts have provided for teaching Gaelic in Gaelic-speaking areas, but development was very slow until Gaelic became an initial teaching medium in the Gaelic areas of Inverness-shire and Ross-shire from 1958. In 1975 the newly created Western Isles education authority introduced bilingual primary education shortly followed by Highland Region in Skye. Gaelic-medium primary education commenced with two schools in 1985, growing to 42 units by 1993/94.

In secondary education, Gaelic has long been taught as a subject — often through the medium of English, even to native speakers. A move towards bilingual secondary education in the Western Isles was frustrated by a change of government in the 1979 United Kingdom general election. Gaelic-medium secondary education has developed less satisfactorily. Gaelic-medium streams followed on from primary in Glasgow and Inverness, with some experimentation in the Western Isles, but the sector is hampered by acute teacher shortage, and an Ofsted inspectorate report of 1994 regarded Gaelic-medium secondary education as divisive and inappropriate.[18]

Third level provision through Gaelic is provided by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (literally: “the great barn at Ostaig”) a Gaelic-medium college based in Sleat, on the Isle of Skye in north west Scotland. It is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, and also has a campus on Islay known as Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle.

In 2004, Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, (who is patron of the College) stated that:

The beauty of Gaelic music and song is inescapable. But without the living language, it risks becoming an empty shell. That is why an education system, up to the level represented by the college here in Skye, is so important — to ensure fluency and literacy which will continue to renew the health and creativity of the language.[19]

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 is the first piece of legislation to give formal recognition to the Gaelic language in Scotland. It recognises Gaelic as an official language of Scotland, commanding “equal respect” with English.

Education Minister Peter Peacock, who has ministerial responsibility for Gaelic, said: “This is a momentous day for Gaelic as we open a new chapter in the language’s history. We have come a long way since the dark days of 1616 when an Act of Parliament ruled that Gaelic should be ‘abolishit and removit’ from Scotland.”[20]

Cornwall[edit]

Penryn, Prayer Book Rebellion Memorial, near the site of Glasney College.

In the Prayer Book rebellion of 1549, where the English state sought to suppress Cornish language speaking with the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer, which was made available only in English. In replacing Latin with English, and under the guise of suppressing Catholicism, English was effectively imposed as the language of the Church, with the intent of it becoming the language of the people. At the time people in many areas of Cornwall did not speak or understand English.

The forced introduction of English to church services in Cornwall provided a major reason for the rebellion. The articles of the rebels states: “and we the cornyshe men (whereof certen of vs vnderstande no Englysh) vtterly refuse thys new English.”[21]

The British Raj[edit]

British records[22] show that indigenous education was widespread in the 18th century, with a school for every temple, mosque or village in most regions of the country. Subjects taught included Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Theology, Law, Astronomy, Metaphysics, Ethics, Medical Science and Religion. The schools were attended by students from all classes of society. Gandhi is said to have described the traditional educational system as a beautiful tree that was destroyed by British rule.

The Charter Act of 1813 decreed that English would be taught in the Indian education system although not as a replacement for indigenous languages. Instead, it was anticipated that English would co-exist with Oriental studies as a means by which moral law could be reinforced.

The 1817 publication of James Mill’s History of British India[23] proved to be a defining text in the theories of how education policies should be formed (ed. Horace Hayman Wilson: London, Piper, Stephenson and Spence, 1858). Mill advocated the introduction of European knowledge to counter balance Indian traits judged to be irrational. Instilling ideals of reason would accordingly ‘reform’ Indians by the example of Western systems of thought and outlook. His ideas discredited Indian culture, language and literature even as its assumptions of moral superiority authorised and justified the presence of the British in India.

The current system of education,[24] was introduced and funded by the British in the 19th century, following recommendations by Thomas Babington Macaulay. Traditional structures were not recognized by the British government and have been on the decline since.

Thomas MacAulay’s infamous ‘Minute on Indian Education’ (1835) encapsulates both the overt and covert agendas for such a policy.[25]

The term ‘Macaulay’s Children’ is used to refer to people born of Indian ancestry who adopt Western culture as a lifestyle. It is usually used in a derogatory fashion, and the connotation is one of disloyalty to one’s country and one’s heritage.

The passage to which the term refers is from his ‘Minute on Indian Education’ delivered in 1835. It reads:

It is impossible for us, with our limited means, to attempt to educate the body of the people. We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect. To that class we may leave it to refine the vernacular dialects of the country, to enrich those dialects with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature, and to render them by degrees fit vehicles for conveying knowledge to the great mass of the population.

In 1835 Lord William Bentinck revitalised the earlier Charter Act with his New Education Policy which determined that English should be the official language of the courts, diplomacy and administration. Prior to this Persian had been the accepted language of diplomacy. Bentninck’s motive was ostensibly to “regenerate” society, but the ramifications were boundless. From this moment on only those with Western style education and a knowledge of English were eligible for government employment or for a career in public life.

In 1854 Sir Charles Wood published his Education Dispatch which was aimed at widening the availability of Western oriented knowledge. Universities were established under the London examining model in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.

Lord Ripon’s Hunter Commission of 1882 somewhat belatedly advocated that there should be increased provision of education at primary level and for women. The theory was that there would be a subsequent rise in the calibre of applicants for third level entry.

The inevitable result was that an Indian-based education was viewed as being second rate in comparison to an English-medium education.

India[edit]

Private English medium schools are gaining popularity throughout India as urban middle class Indians who feel that English is the global language send their children to these schools. Increasingly, many poor families too are sending their children to English medium schools due to the poor quality of education in Government-run non-English medium schools.[citation needed]

Malaysia[edit]

Main article: Education in Malaysia

Up until 1981 in West Malaysia (and some years later in East Malaysia), there were English-medium schools set up by the former British colonial government and Christian missionaries. However, following the implementation of the 1967 National Language Act which stipulated the conversion of all English-medium schools to Malay-medium schools; all English-medium schools were definitely phased out.[26] The policy has now caused many newly graduates to become unemployed as they cannot find jobs especially in the private sector due to the lack of English proficiency; with the graduates can only depends on public sector jobs provided by the government. This led to a criticism over the policy by local governments from the East Malaysian sides who are now feel the impacts to their younger generations caused by the federal government policy who have been too long sidelined the importance to mastering the universal language of English.[27] By 2016, Sarawak began to support the re-establishment of English-medium schools,[28] and request for the approval of more English-medium schools in the state from the federal government using its autonomy in education.[29] The move was followed by Sabah in 2017 when a minister from the state also urging the return of English-medium schools,[30] which grows with more supports from other ministers.[31][32]

Indonesia[edit]

English medium school in Indonesia consists of International school and National Plus school.[33] A National Plus school in Indonesia refers to a school that offers education beyond the minimum requirements of the national Indonesian accreditation authorities. National Plus school offers some subjects taught in English and may provide some native English speakers on staff or may offer international curriculum such as from Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) or the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). National Plus schools can typically be differentiated from international schools by their core market. International schools tend to primarily exist to serve the needs of expatriate students and national plus schools for Indonesian students; however there is significant overlap on both sides.[34]

Pakistan[edit]

The Government of Pakistan has recently[when?] announced the introduction of English lessons on a phased basis to all schools across the country. This new policy states that “English language has been made compulsory from Class-1 onwards” and the “Introduction of English as medium of instruction for science, mathematics, computer science and other selected subjects like economics and geography in all schools in a graduated manner.”[35] Caretaker Minister for Education Mr. Shujaat Ali Beg declared 25 January 2008 that 18 colleges of the city of Karachi would be made “Model English Medium Colleges,”[36]

Bangladesh[edit]

In Bangladesh the system of education is divided into three different branches. Students are free to choose anyone of them provided that they have the means. These branches are: The English Medium, The Bengali Medium, and The Religious Branch. In the English Medium system, courses are all taught in English using English books with the exception for Bengali and Arabic. English medium schools are mainly private and thus traditionally were reserved for the upper and upper middle class. However huge demand in urban areas has resulted in large number of English-medium schools mushrooming. This has caused a fall in quality. O and A level exams are arranged through the British Council in Dhaka.[37]

The Union of Myanmar[edit]

In the Union of Myanmar, the education system is based on the British Colonial model, due to nearly a century of British and Christian presences. Nearly all schools are government-operated, and also there has been a recent increase in privately funded English language schools.

The Philippines[edit]

The United States of America won the Philippine–American War (1898–1901), and declared the Philippines a US colony. US imperial rule followed. Mac Síomóin quotes the Filipino scholar E. San Juan who made the following comment regarding the use made by the US administration of the English language to rule his country:

Its conquest of hegemony or consensual rule was literally accomplished through the deployment of English as the official medium of business, schooling and government. This pedagogical strategy was designed to cultivate an intelligencia, a middle stratum divorced from its roots in the plebeian masses, who would service the ideological apparatus of Anglo-Saxon supremacy. Americanization was mediated through English, sanctioned as the language of prestige and aspiration.[38]

English is used for instruction at the University of the Philippines.

Italy[edit]

See also: Education in Italy

In Italy education is provided in Italian and, by law,[39] it is mandatory until the age of 16. However, there are some English-medium schools which follow the International Baccalaureate Organization program (which is recognized by Italian Ministry of Education). Its principles refer to the idea of an international and global education, combining pedagogical principles with strict standards.

In Italian high-schools, since 2010,[40] some subjects can be taught in a language different from Italian (according to the concept of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in order to strengthen the students’ linguistic competences.

Primary schools[edit]

Although the national education system is held in Italian, by law,[41] it’s possible for children to attend international private schools (which are considered equivalent in their status — they are called “scuole paritarie”) that use English as the only language for education.

English-medium primary schools in Italy follow the International Baccalaureate Organization program which has a sub-section dedicated to children (Primary Years Program — which includes children from 3 to 12 years old).

Secondary schools[edit]

Secondary education is made up of lower secondary schools (from 12 to 14) and upper secondary schools (from 14 to 19). In both cases, children have the possibility to attend entirely English-taught schools.

Concerning middle schools, some of them offer the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), which is addressed to students aged 11 to 16; the majority of these schools are located in regions of Northern and Northern-Central Italy.[42] Concluding this course of studies, Italian children come to the end of compulsory education.

Since 2010, the Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) approach has been applied in all high schools, through the teaching of a non-linguistic subject in a foreign language (L2), including English (this methodology has been implemented in graduation year, except for “liceo linguistico”, where it has been introduced in the third year and fourth year with a second language).[43] Students aged 16–19 can choose to attend the IB Diploma Programme (DP), which is recognised by some universities. This two-year curriculum is mostly provided by schools in Northern and Northern-Central Italy. It is more widely available than the Middle Years Programme.[42]

Higher education[edit]

Italian universities mainly provide courses taught in Italian, but in recent years there has been an increase in the number of English-Taught Programmes, especially in Master degrees.[44] According to the law,[45] it is possible for universities to hold classes in a language different from Italian (particularly English), in order to promote cultural exchanges and student mobility, as well as strengthening the cooperation with foreign universities. Nowadays there are some Bachelor and Master degrees that exclusively use English as their vehicular language, while some others are held only partially in English.[46]

In 2012 a controversy sparked between the university’s senate of the Polytechnic University of Milan and some of its professors, regarding the decision to use English as the sole language of all the Master degrees and the PhDs.[47] The Italian Constitutional Court examined the matter and delivered the judgement n° 42/2017[48] which states that the complete exclusion of Italian from these courses clashes with the principle of primacy of the Italian language enshrined in the Constitution. Furthermore the Court explained that the internationalization of the universities cannot be achieved by marginalizing the Italian language, therefore there must be a balance between the offers provided by the university in the two languages.

Slovenia[edit]

University of Ljubljana teaches at least 100 courses in English. In Where to Invade Next, Michael Moore interviews several American citizens studying at the university who were taking courses taught in English.

Kyrgyzstan[edit]

Education in the Kyrgyz Republic is compulsory for nine years between the ages of 7 to 16. This is broken up into four years of primary, five years of high school, and two additional years of high school or vocational school. The majority of instruction is in Kyrgyz, but the language of instruction in mostly higher institutions is Russian. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic introduced the English language into the syllabus as an additional language for grades 3–11 in educational institutions.[49] According to the Ministry of Education of Kyrgyzstan, the main purpose of teaching English is to teach the basic level of foreign language, as under market conditions knowledge of English is necessary. A number of private schools and universities are involved in English-medium education. In some private universities in Kyrgyzstan, such as American University of Central Asia (AUCA), International Alatoo University (IAU), University of Central Asia (UCA), OSCE Academy in Bishkek students are taught exclusively in English.[50] English language viewed in the minds of the young generation of Kyrgyz Republic with the possibility of receiving education abroad, job opportunities, travel purposes and getting information from English language sources.[50]

South Africa[edit]

Colonial education[edit]

The earliest European schools in South Africa were established in the Cape Colony in the late seventeenth century by Dutch Reformed Church elders committed to biblical instruction, which was necessary for church confirmation. In rural areas, itinerant teachers (meesters) taught basic literacy and math skills. British mission schools proliferated after 1799, when the first members of the London Missionary Society arrived in the Cape Colony.[8]

Language soon became a sensitive issue in education. At least two dozen English-language schools operated in rural areas of the Cape Colony by 1827, but their presence rankled among devout Afrikaners, who considered the English language and curriculum irrelevant to rural life and Afrikaner values. Throughout the nineteenth century, Afrikaners resisted government policies aimed at the spread of the English language and British values, and many educated their children at home or in the churches.

Milner Schools[edit]

In order to anglicize the Transvaal area during the Anglo Boer war, Lord Milner set out to influence British Education in the area for the English-speaking populations. He founded a series of schools known as the “Milner Schools” in South Africa. These schools consist of modern day Pretoria High School for Girls, Pretoria Boys High School, Potchefstroom High School for Boys, Hamilton Primary School, and St. Marys DSG.

English-medium Instruction (EMI)[edit]

Since the beginning of the twentieth century there has been a sharp increase in the number of universities across the globe that offer English Taught Programmes (ETPs), that is degree courses which are taught through the medium of English,[4] though these universities are located in countries where English is not an official language. This phenomenon, generally known as English-medium instruction, is seen as part of the internationalization process that many universities are pushing. There is a growing body of research literature on this phenomenon[5] which explores issues such as the development of EMI in different countries,[51] reasons for the spread of EMI,[52] lecturers’ and students’ beliefs about EMI,[53] learning gains in terms of English proficiency and the effect on learning academic subjects through English. The spread of EMI has also been criticized and contested in many countries and in the research literature.[54] It has led to concerns about the quality of education, its impact on student learning,[55] accessibility to education and its impact on linguistic diversity and social justice.[56] Despite its rampant spread, EMI’s effect on improving student proficiency of English is still an under-investigated phenomenon in research literature.[5]

EMI in Europe[edit]

In Europe there has been a sharp increase in the number of ETPs in the 21st century. According to Wachter and Maiworm’s study,[57] there were just 725 English-taught programs in 2001, 2,389 in 2007 and in their 2014 study the number had risen to 8,089. Although there may be some problems with the study and the numbers may not be entirely accurate, there has been an exponential increase in the last 20 years. The country with the highest number of ETPs is the Netherlands (1,078 in 2014[57]), though the growth (39.3%) has been below the European average.

Although there has been a considerable growth in the number of ETPs, largely at Master’s level, it is a minority of students (less than 2%), that are actually enrolled in ETPs —

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