Localisation is critically important to any learning system as it refers to our efforts to make the system and its elements appropriate to the particular population for which it has been developed. The concept of localisation, therefore, has significant consequences for all aspects of our learning systems.
In this presentation, I will present my view of education as a learning system, while stressing the importance of localisation within that system. One practical aspect of the importance of localisation within an English language learning system is the appropriateness of vocabulary teaching, learning and assessment. I will exemplify this by briefly outlining the Knowledge-based Vocabulary List (KVL)Project. In this project, the British Council and the University of Nottingham have come together to develop L1-specific wordlists based on the actual difficulty of individual words to learners.
