Print      Print
Search    

The Language Education Study

1993–1996

The Language Education Study was planned as a three-phased project, with Phase 1 aimed at gathering information on language education at the national level (sociolinguistic context, language policy, language curriculum and assessment, language teaching, and professional support), school level (characteristics of schools and language teachers, provision and organization of language learning in schools, organization of curriculum, and assessment in the classroom), and student level (level of proficiency, attitudes, and aspirations). Lack of funding meant that only Phase 1 was completed. The data for four languages commonly taught as a school subject (English, French, German, and Spanish) were collected in 1995.

Target Population

The information was collected for two key points in secondary schooling: the end of compulsory schooling (ages 15 and 16 in most countries) and the end of upper secondary schooling (ages 17 and 18 in most countries).

Participating Educational Systems

Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United States.

Key Findings

  1. Most of the countries surveyed began first foreign language instruction for the majority of students in the elementary grades. In many cases a second foreign language was offered or required in the elementary grades. In Thailand, English is a compulsory subject in Grade 1. In Austria and Italy, compulsory foreign language instruction begins in Grade 3.
  2. The most often taught foreign language was English, followed by French and German. In border regions, however, the first foreign language was often that of the neighboring country.
  3. In the majority of the participating countries, more than 50 percent of foreign language teachers had a degree qualification in the language they taught. Some countries, however, reported a shortage of foreign language teachers.

Major Publication

Dickson, P., & Cumming, A.  (Eds.). (1996).

Profiles of Language Education in 25 Countries.

UK: National Foundation for Educational Research.

 

< < prev     next > >