SHARE
COPY LINK

EDUCATION

Austria improves in English language skills

Austria has increased its position in the world rankings as a global leader in English language proficiency, according to a report released this week.

Austria improves in English language skills
Sprechen Sie Englisch? Photo: APA/epa

The Education First (EF) English Proficiency Index (EPI) placed Austria in seventh place out of 63 countries. Austria’s EPI score has increased by 4.63 points in the past seven years, to 63.21.

Denmark was the number one nation for English language proficiency (EPI = 69.3), Holland was second (EPI = 68.98) and Sweden, third (EPI = 67.80).

Austrians in every age group outperform European averages, with those aged 18-24 speaking the best English, suggesting that the country’s average English proficiency will continue to rise.

In Austria children start learning English at primary school, usually aged seven. 

The report shows Austrian women speak significantly better English than Austrian men, and the gender gap is greater than that in most European countries.

EF EPI 2014-English from EF Education First on Vimeo.

Some Austrians will be pleased to see that their English language skills are ranked higher than those of their larger neighbour, Germany, which places tenth. 

This Index is in its fourth edition and shows the performance in 2014 of 63 non-Commonwealth countries worldwide. The major trend highlights that Europe’s English proficiency remains far higher than in other regions, and continues to improve.

The study also concluded that there are strong correlations between English proficiency and income, quality of life, ease of doing business, Internet usage, and years of schooling. These correlations are remarkably stable over time, stated EF in its findings.

EF is the world's largest educational company, specializing in language learning, academic programs and cultural exchange. The company was founded in 1965 and today operates 500 schools and offices across 52 countries.

How The Local's nations fared:

1st Denmark

3rd Sweden

5th Norway

7th Austria

10th Germany

18th Switzerland

20th Spain

27th Italy

29th France

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

EDUCATION

Inquiry calls for free after-school care for 6-9 year-olds in Sweden

Children between ages 6-9 years should be allowed admittance to after-school recreation centers free of charge, according to a report submitted to Sweden’s Minister of Education Lotta Edholm (L).

Inquiry calls for free after-school care for 6-9 year-olds in Sweden

“If this reform is implemented, after-school recreation centers will be accessible to the children who may have the greatest need for the activities,” said Kerstin Andersson, who was appointed to lead a government inquiry into expanding access to after-school recreation by the former Social Democrat government. 

More than half a million primary- and middle-school-aged children spend a large part of their school days and holidays in after-school centres.

But the right to after-school care is not freely available to all children. In most municipalities, it is conditional on the parent’s occupational status of working or studying. Thus, attendance varies and is significantly lower in areas where unemployment is high and family finances weak.

In this context, the previous government formally began to inquire into expanding rights to leisure. The report was recently handed over to Sweden’s education minister, Lotta Edholm, on Monday.

Andersson proposed that after-school activities should be made available free of charge to all children between the ages of six and nine in the same way that preschool has been for children between the ages of three and five. This would mean that children whose parents are unemployed, on parental leave or long-term sick leave will no longer be excluded. 

“The biggest benefit is that after-school recreation centres will be made available to all children,” Andersson said. “Today, participation is highest in areas with very good conditions, while it is lower in sparsely populated areas and in areas with socio-economic challenges.” 

Enforcing this proposal could cause a need for about 10,200 more places in after-school centre, would cost the state just over half a billion kronor a year, and would require more adults to work in after-school centres. 

Andersson recommends recruiting staff more broadly, and not insisting that so many staff are specialised after-school activities teachers, or fritidspedagod

“The Education Act states that qualified teachers are responsible for teaching, but that other staff may participate,” Andersson said. “This is sometimes interpreted as meaning that other staff may be used, but preferably not’. We propose that recognition be given to so-called ‘other staff’, and that they should be given a clear role in the work.”

She suggested that people who have studied in the “children’s teaching and recreational programmes” at gymnasium level,  people who have studied recreational training, and social educators might be used. 

“People trained to work with children can contribute with many different skills. Right now, it might be an uncertain work situation for many who work for a few months while the employer is looking for qualified teachers”, Andersson said. 

SHOW COMMENTS