English for innovation

Abstract

In the spoken word video The People vs. the School System, Prince Ea quotes the famous maxim that “if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Internet memes attribute these words to Einstein but there is no substantive evidence to confirm that he is the author. Nonetheless, Prince Ea and many others use this statement as a premise for the argument that education as we know it, needs to be put on trial and reformed for the benefit of all young people. This argument is most often made with respect to how education is still bound to the 19th century model, in which teaching and learning are standardized and the acquisition of knowledge in a one-size-fits-all manner is prioritized above everything else. This model does not effectively equip students with the required competences and skills in order for them to adapt to 21st century realities. One of the skills gaps that are increasingly being identified in young people educated in line with this model is their lack of a capacity for innovation.