In 2017, English language instruction became mandatory in all schools, starting in the 6th grade of elementary school. In accordance with the guidelines of the National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC), the measure aims to address the outdated approach to the language in the country by promoting multiliteracy. Furthermore, it seeks to genuinely foster fluency—something the British Council has shown to be far from reality; a study released by the institution revealed that only 1% of Brazilians are fluent in the language.

The goal is for English to lose its “foreign” status and be taught as a lingua franca. Even so, bilingual education faces latent challenges such as a shortage of adequately trained teachers, the need to introduce the language even earlier than recommended by the National Curriculum, and the very implementation of an engaging curriculum in schools. For Red Balloon, which for over 50 years has advocated this “paradigm shift” toward educational excellence, addressing these challenges means recognizing the language’s significant role as a gateway to the world’s knowledge. Much of scientific output and global content is available primarily (and sometimes exclusively) in English.  

It is part of the essence of education to champion this globalized view of language. However, in practice—in terms of management—this remains a challenge amid the intense school routine, which requires “multitasking” from teachers to school administrators. Classroom quality is the final stage; it is the result of a lengthy process that involves hiring professionals, adapting the course schedule and curriculum, selecting instructional materials, providing continuing professional development, monitoring students’ progress, developing educational projects, and much more.

These needs are recognized and addressed by Red Balloon English Solutions, a division of the Red Balloon brand focused on K-12 education. Created to provide answers to the question “How can I change the way English is taught at my school and help students become bilingual?”, English Solutions combines a playful methodology—focused on developing social-emotional skills—with multidisciplinary consulting that identifies each institution’s needs and helps implement a teaching approach that goes far beyond the verb “to be.”

Once administrative hurdles are overcome, the path toward more interesting, fun, and contextually relevant lessons—tailored to students’ real-life experiences—becomes smoother. At the end of the Basic Education journey, the result will be naturally engaged citizens who can say that learning English was quite a journey.