The University of York’s English Language Toolkit brings cutting-edge linguistic research into the sixth-form classroom, offering free resources, case studies, and CPD opportunities to inspire and support A-level English Language teachers.
For teachers of A-level English Language, finding high-quality, research-driven resources that are directly relevant to the classroom can be a challenge. The University of York’s English Language Toolkit offers a great solution. Designed by the Department of Language and Linguistic Science, the Toolkit takes cutting-edge linguistic research and makes it accessible, engaging, and applicable for teachers and their sixth-form students.
At its heart, the Toolkit is a growing collection of linguistic case studies. Each one distils original academic research into a form that can be used in the classroom, offering clear explanations of key concepts, insights into research methods, and practical suggestions for student activities. The case studies span four key areas of English Language study: language use, language acquisition, language diversity, and language change. Topics range from the use of intensifiers in speech, to the evolution of multicultural varieties of English, to how babies acquire language, to the changing patterns of dialect across the UK. Each case study is available to download in editable formats, making it easy for teachers to adapt the material for their own classes. Accompanying video explainers help bring the research to life, offering valuable support for teachers and students alike, particularly when working on non-exam assessments.
The Toolkit is more than just a repository of resources. Since around 2013, the University has hosted a free annual CPD event linked to the project. The event was established by Professor Sam Hellmuth, a phonologist whose research focuses on suprasegmental phenomena such as stress and intonation, and the interface between syntax and phonology.
The annual CPD event was originally held entirely in person, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it adapted to an online format. Now, it operates as a hybrid event, allowing teachers to choose whether to attend in person or remotely, widening access to the sessions. Each year’s event typically revisits one talk from a previous year, offering fresh updates on ongoing research, alongside three brand-new presentations. It provides teachers with direct access to the researchers behind the Toolkit’s case studies, allowing for meaningful discussions about how linguistic research can best support A-level teaching.
Importantly, the CPD events are not just about delivering information. Teachers’ feedback is an essential part of shaping future sessions. The university values the fresh classroom perspectives that teachers bring, helping researchers to tailor their work more closely to the needs and realities of sixth-form teaching. This two-way exchange strengthens the bond between academic research and practical classroom application.
An archive of recordings from past CPD events is available on the Toolkit website, offering a rich back catalogue of ideas and insights for teachers to draw on at any time. All of the Toolkit’s resources are freely available under a Creative Commons licence, meaning teachers are free to adapt and share them for non-commercial purposes.
Whether you are looking to deepen your subject knowledge, enrich your students’ engagement with linguistic concepts, or find fresh ideas for NEA support, the University of York’s English Language Toolkit offers a unique bridge between university research and the day-to-day world of A-level teaching.
For more information about this year’s event, which takes place on Friday 11th July, visit https://englishlanguagetoolkit.york.ac.uk/workshops.
York English Language Toolkit 2025
Friday 11th July 2025 10.00am-4.30pm fully hybrid (in person in York and online)
A FREE CPD workshop for teachers of English Language A-level, featuring:
- Catherine Laing on child language acquisition
- Lauren Harrington on forensic linguistics
- Salina Cuddy on language and gender/sexuality
- Paul Kerswill on attitudes to Multicultural London English (revisiting a 2015 case study)
- Plus new this year: Josh Coombs on putting it into practice in the classroom
