Increasingly in the 21^st Century the demands of higher education and the workplace have become more complex, and a traditional view of language learning is no longer sufficient to prepare young people for the many situations where their language skills will be used. The presenter will examine what we mean by 21^stCentury Skills and perspectives, going on to discuss how these will inevitably lead to change. He will demonstrate how these changes are already happening in the work place, the impact this has had on international language testing, and how this in turn affects the needs, and therefore, expectations of students. Central to these expectations is the ability to communicate original ideas powerfully, and in English. The speaker will show how teachers can turn their classrooms into a forum for powerful communication, using TED Talks, and the presentation will conclude with three recommendations for action by language institutes and teachers.