Page 16 - ELG1710 Oct Issue 451

COMMENT . FEATURES & COMMENT

Point OUT

of View OF THE

Ella BOX
Tyler

‘We have a It’s time UK ELT had a
sip of the PM’s Dom

moral Perignon

obligation to Whilst flicking through the and praise from the powers that
papers last month, I noticed
be, and the boost to our self-
esteem that this will bring.
that the movers and shakers of
We deserve the sight of
the British fashion industry had
once more got a taste of the
Theresa May congratulating
lead the way’ Downing Street Champagne. teaching guru Luke Meddings
As London Fashion Week got
under way, Theresa May hosted
But what if
dozens of top designers, fashion
house execs and rising talents we compare
at Number Ten. This followed the treatment
a tradition started by previous
Ella Tyler explains why the ELT and international incumbents Sarah Brown and dished out to
education industries are uniquely placed to promote Samantha Cameron. the fashionistas
‘British fashion is of huge
Women heavily
women in leadership outnumber men in ELT importance, contributing £28 with that of an
billion to the UK economy and
supporting nearly 900,000 jobs,’ industry that
hen I left university in 1993, In it, Sandbergh questions why we have the ranks, that ratio shifts of course, and it – male or female – has a crucial role to play in gushed the prime minister to is seldom in
I really believed that the too few women leaders, and brilliantly is mainly men who are the school/agency calling inequality out. the press. And the journalists, fashion among
glass ceiling of my mother’s explains how women must put themselves business owners or are sitting on the boards 3. We believe that gender stereotypes for their part, lapped it all up:
Wgeneration had been shattered. forward if the gender gap is ever to be of the major companies. Of course, this is are outdated and damaging to both men May’s soiree got across-the- ministers and
Women were equal to men in terms of closed. It truly inspired me. And during the not unique to our industry – it is the same the and women, and that men will benefit just board coverage. media types?
accomplishments, and I was confident that conference, I met up with two like-minded world over. as much from challenging these limiting Now, this is not intended to
over the next few years the imbalance of women – Leanne Linacre, a school owner But we are in an industry that has a unique constraints. be a curmudgeonly attack on
women at senior levels in companies would from LILA and Maria Castro, who owns the opportunity to change people’s perspectives. 4. We believe in the power of words. And the likes of Vogue and Burberry.
be redressed, leading to a better world for agency Linguland . We discussed the current We are in the business of educating people – that by promoting discussion around the But what if we compare the on the popularity of his
everyone. and plenty of young people – and we have a topic, and putting gender equality at the top treatment dished out to the pedagogical approach.
What optimism I held in my heart as I We need men to global reach. We are in an amazing position of the agenda, we can challenge the status fashionistas with that of an Moreover, we deserve to get
stood there at 22 years old, on the verge of put their voices to this to really lead the way in terms of change and quo and make real tangible changes for the industry that is seldom in our faces and voices in the
my new career path. For a decade I worked best practice. And if you believe, as I do, that future. In real terms, we will be running fashion among ministers and mainstream media – perhaps
in the mainly female world of cosmetics and initiative if we are to one person can change the world, and that events and setting up a mentoring programme media types? I refer, of course, then the public will get a
toiletries marketing, and it appeared to me the words you use are very powerful, then we that women can access. to English language teaching. decent understanding of what
that my prophecy was being fulfilled. succeed in achieving have a moral obligation to lead the way as And on 28 October we will be holding ELT is itself a golden goose we do and why it matters.
When I had children I fell into the well- role models. It was this belief that led us to set the inaugural Lead5050 WIE (Women in to the UK economy. Its export We all yearn for English
worn pattern of staying at home, raising gender equality to the up Lead5050 – a group which would aim to International Education) Awards at the revenue was estimated at £1.2 language teaching to move on
the children and running the home. Then I benefit of everyone, raise the profile of women in the industry and Hotel Intercontinental in Berlin. It will be a billion in 2014 alone. And it permanently from its stereotype
returned to work – and I continued carrying encourage them into positions of leadership. celebration of those who promote our values is surely overdue some official as a backpackers’ profession.
the major load of raising the children and and we encourage their It’s called 5050 because we believe that we of support, inspiration and leadership. It recognition, a little sip of the Getting into the corridors
running the home. need men to put their voices to this initiative promises to be an exciting night for everyone PM’s Dom Perignon. of power might be one way to
But I did this unquestioningly. It seemed support if we are to succeed in achieving gender and the beginning, we hope, of something The profession has been achieve that.
normal. Every other woman was doing it – equality to the benefit of everyone, and we transformative for the ELT industry. beset by worries this year
working full time and doing the shopping and issues facing women in our industry, and encourage their support. To subscribe to Lead5050’s newsletter go to over the impact of Brexit and
the cleaning, rolling their eyes indulgently indeed society. This is our vision: – http://www.lead5050.com/login/ – to keep terror attacks. Yet, according n Warren Turner works as
at their hopeless husbands who ‘didn’t know We agreed that young women coming 1. We believe that women’s empowerment abreast of our new mentoring programme and to EL Gazette’s report in July, a general English teacher at
how to use the washing machine’ – and through the ranks, that we employed in is good for the economy and therefore good other CPD and networking events due to be in most regions its customers Bloomsbury International
society was certainly encouraging it. our businesses, seemed astonishingly short for everyone. To succeed, a company needs held over the next year. have streamed in at a rate that London by day and as an Ielts
It wasn’t until I was on my way to on self confidence, compared to their male ALL of its employees to be at the top of their compares favourably to 2016. teacher at a Bedfordshire hospital
ICEF Berlin last year and I bought Sheryl counterparts. Why was this? We also noted game. n Ella Tyler is managing director of So, yes, we deserve thanks by night.
Sandbergh’s book – Lean In – that the scales that although in our industry women heavily 2. We believe that gender equality is not a Mountlands Language School and co-founder of
fell away from my eyes. outnumber men, when you go further up woman’s issue – but a human issue. Everyone Lead5050.
16 October 2017 editorial@elgazette.com 17