1. ICT for Language learning
Eurydice
Network
Education systems and policies in 33 European countries
ICT for Language learning
Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012
Nathalie Baïdak Eurydice
(Education, Audiovisual and Culture
Executive Agency)
Florence November 2012

2. Addressed topics
Starting age of foreign language teaching
Taught time devoted to foreign language learning
Learning of English in Europe
Number of foreign languages learnt
Expected minimum level of attainment
Use of ICT in the classroom
Initial teacher education

3. Foreign language teaching starting earlier
Compulsory starting age of foreign language teaching
Being phased in
<8 years
≥ 10 years
≥ 8 - <10 years
Source: Eurydice

4. Taught time
quite low
Minimum time allocated to foreign languages as a compulsory subject, as a proportion of total taught time in primary education, 2010/11
Source: EACEA; Eurydice; Eurostat Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012 Edition
Data: EURYDICE

5. More pupils learn English English as first compulsory language
Trends in the percentage of all pupils attending primary education (ISCED 1), who learn English, 2004/05, 2009/10
English as first compulsory language
Source: EACEA; Eurydice; Eurostat Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012 Edition
Data: Eurostat, UOE

6. More students learn 2 foreign languages
Percentage of all students attending lower secondary education (ISCED 2), who learn 2 or more language(s), 2009/10
EU 2010
60.8%
46.7 %
Slide: Percentage of all students attending lower secondary education who learn 2 or more languages
Key message: Recent data show an increase in the percentage of students learning 2 foreign languages at lower secondary level. This has been encouraged by:
The Barcelona European Council of 2002 which set the objective of "teaching at least two foreign languages from a very early age".
More recently, in the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training, ET 2020, “to enable citizens to communicate in two languages in addition to their mother tongue, promote language teaching, where relevant, in VET and for adult learners” .
It is usual at secondary level that a second foreign language is offered or made obligatory. In the EU on average, in 2010, 60.8% of students were learning 2 foreign languages (illustrated by the line in red): this is an increase of nearly 15 percentage points compared to 2005 (46.7%, indicated by the line in blue).
The figures from 2010 reflect wide variations between countries in Europe. Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Finland and Iceland have a very high percentage (at least 90%) of the student population learning at least 2 languages.
EU 2005
Source: EACEA; Eurydice; Eurostat Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012 Edition
Data: Eurostat, UOE

7. Expected attainment levels: A2 or B1
Expected attainment levels for the FIRST LEARNT FOREIGN LANGUAGE (End of compulsory general education or lower secondary education), 2010/11
Source: EACEA; Eurydice; Eurostat Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012 Edition
Data: EURYDICE

8. ICT not regularly used Source: EURYDICE Data: ESLC, 2011
Percentage of students who say that ICT is regularly used during their language lessons, 2010/11
Source: EURYDICE
Data: ESLC, 2011

9. Period spent abroad: Few recommendations
Existence of recommendations on the content of initial teacher education and the period spent in the target language country, 2010/11
Recommendations exist on the content of
initial teacher education for prospective
foreign language teachers
Recommendations include a period to be
spent in the target language country
No recommendations
Teacher education takes place abroad
Source: Eurydice.

10. Key messages
Earlier start of foreign language teaching in most countries
Taught time devoted to foreign language learning quite low at primary level
Since 2005, the percentage of students learning English has substantially increased in many countries
Percentage of students learning 2 languages is increasing at secondary level
At the end of compulsory education, the expected minimum level of attainment for the first learnt foreign language is A2 or B1 in most countries
According to the great majority of students, ICT is not regularly used during language lessons in most countries
Only a few countries recommend that future language teachers spend a period of training in the target language country 10

11. Many other issues addressed by
Key data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe
2012 Edition
Class size;
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL);
Diversity of foreign languages learnt;
And more…