English as a Second Language in Schools: How Do Countries Do It?

Students in English class in the Netherlands - Photo: EXPATICA

Many countries have been successful in developing English as a second language programmes in schools. However, it is not without challenges.

In the EF EPI English Proficiency Index, compiled annually by EF Education, the Netherlands has been the leading country for many years. Most recently in 2023, the Netherlands once again ranked first.

Untangling the teacher knot

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), since the 1990s English has been a core subject in the Netherlands, along with mathematics and Dutch. To graduate from secondary school, Dutch students must pass a national exam in English, which accounts for half of their final grade, with the other half taken from school test scores.

Dutch students learn English from primary school. In secondary school, students will follow three main streams: one is the stream to enter vocational schools (VMBO), two is the stream to enter universities of applied sciences (HAVO), three is the stream to enter research universities (VWO).

With each stream, students study at the corresponding intensity and level of English, so that after graduation they can achieve level A2 - B1 with VMBO, B1 - B2 with HAVO and B2 - C1 with VWO according to the common European reference framework.

OECD experts say that the success of teaching English as a second language in the Netherlands is largely due to the development of bilingual schools. There are more than 150 bilingual schools operating effectively in the Netherlands, teaching the Dutch-English curriculum. About 30-50% of subjects are taught in English, from science to geography, history and even physical education, but students are still required to follow the standard Dutch curriculum.

Additionally, according to an OECD survey, Dutch students are encouraged and given plenty of opportunities to use English outside of school. Students can watch videos, play games, listen to music, use social media, read books and listen to podcasts in English. About half of students in one survey said they always use English when using digital devices.

Despite its many successes, the Netherlands also has to overcome many challenges, especially in terms of its teaching staff. To teach English as a second language, Dutch schools must ensure that they have enough teachers in all subjects with at least an intermediate level of English, approaching an advanced level.

Note that they are not English teachers but subject teachers, for example a teacher specializing in geography or history who can also use English in teaching at a near-advanced level.

According to the OECD, this is a difficult obstacle, requiring many schools and localities in the Netherlands to have training programs for native teachers who already have a specialization that can teach fluently in English or teach bilingual Dutch-English.

Training courses must be continuously updated, combining both English and specialized content such as science, history, geography... that each teacher has.

Austria: distance between localities

Austria is also a top-ranked country in the EF EPI English Proficiency Index. In 2023, Austria ranked third after the Netherlands and Singapore.

According to The Local (Austria), from the 2024-2025 school year, the Austrian education system will increase the number of subjects taught in English in almost all secondary schools. Previously, many schools in Austria had bilingual programs teaching English and German (the official language in Austria). By 2022, the country's Ministry of Education submitted a draft law to increase the number of lessons taught in English and it will be widely implemented from this school year.

The aim is to ensure that students develop a balanced level of both German and English, reaching a level similar to that of native speakers of the second language. Austria will also move towards establishing at least one regional secondary school that teaches English as an official language in each of Austria's 31 educational regions.

Austria’s challenge, however, is to find ways to close the gap between regions. In a study published in 2022, Dr Elizabeth J Erling from the University of Vienna (Austria) pointed out that although English is taught to all students, their proficiency levels are not the same.

The worst results in English are in urban secondary schools, where many students come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and German is not their first language. Students’ circumstances and opportunities to practice English vary across regions, which indirectly affects the quality of English lessons in secondary schools.

Therefore, the government must now calculate the allocation of resources, programs and increase the number of free English support centers and facilities in low-level areas to quickly narrow the gap.

Vietnam's English Proficiency Index Ranks 58th

The EF EPI is an annual English Proficiency Index published by EF Education First based on research in 113 countries and territories. In the 2023 edition, EF divides countries and territories into five groups based on their English proficiency scores: very high, high, medium, low and very low proficiency. Vietnam ranks 58th, in the medium group.

There are 12 countries in the very high proficiency group, ranked from top to bottom: Netherlands, Singapore, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, Croatia, Greece.

Nordic countries: expanding the CLIL approach

Research by a group of scientists from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) published in the Nordic Journal of Language Teaching and Learning in 2023 shows that the method of developing English in Nordic schools cleverly integrates content and learning activities in many subjects.

Students not only learn English as a language subject but also use English to supplement their studies in subjects such as science, technology, arts, and social sciences.

This is called content and language integrated learning (CLIL). For example, some secondary schools in Sweden require students to use English to search for materials or to do some presentations for home economics courses.

This approach is considered highly effective in improving English language proficiency, helping students develop intercultural skills and critical thinking abilities.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tieng-anh-la-ngon-ngu-thu-second-trong-truong-hoc-cac-nuoc-thuc-hien-ra-sao-20240918095345014.htm