LCS English Blog

When we think about harmful language, we imagine the loud moments: shouting, insults, aggression, humiliation.

But harm doesn’t always sound like that.

Sometimes it’s quiet.
Sometimes it’s subtle.
A...

We live in a time when communication happens faster than ever, yet connection often feels weaker than before. Messages fly across inboxes, meetings are scheduled in seconds and replies come at lightni...

One of my students recently said something that that stayed with me:
“I trust myself now. I feel more able to engage in meetings and presentations. My work is being recognised and appreciated by my man...

Every October, the world turns pink.
Ribbons appear. Campaigns flood our feeds. Awareness drives take centre stage.
These symbols matter. They remind us to keep talking, keep noticing, keep acting.

But...

We didn’t just grow up bilingual. We grew up between languages.

In South Africa, many of us live at the intersection of cultures. Where humour translates tone. Where food speaks when words fail. Wher...

63% of employers say skills gaps are their biggest barrier (World Economic Forum, 2025).

At the same time, 9 in 10 employees say English training matters - but only 1 in 3 receive it (Pearson, 2024)....

When I was at Wits Language School, my team and I were asked to design a course for Deaf teachers fluent in South African Sign Language (SASL). It wasn’t a tweak to an existing programme. It was a ful...

You’re fluent. You’re smart. You’ve got experience and ideas that matter.

But here’s the truth: in high-stakes environments, it’s not just what you say - it’s how people experience your communication...

We often think of language as something we use after we’ve had an idea. We think, then we speak.

But the truth is - language and thought are more closely linked than we realise. We don’t just use lan...

Every year on 9 August, we celebrate Women’s Day in South Africa - commemorating the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 to demand freedom and justice.

But somewhere between...

Nelson Mandela Day often comes with a well-meaning prompt: “What will you do with your 67 minutes?”

For many people and organisations, this leads to beach clean-ups, sandwich drives or school visits ...

July is a natural pause point. Half the year has passed.

You’ve sat in meetings, said “That’s a good point” when you had a better one or stayed quiet because you weren’t 100% sure your words were “co...