English skills are more essential than ever – the first PISA FLA proves it
There has been much hype over the role AI can play, with increased speculation that, as this technology evolves, the need for learning languages will become less important.
This is obviously not the case.
Used properly, AI can bring enormous benefits to classrooms. But there’s really no substitute for human-to-human learning with a skilled language teacher. It remains critical for students in school systems around the world to continue to learn real-life communicative language skills. AI can teach you a substantial amount of words and grammar, but language is about real-life communication, and this takes practise and guidance that AI just can’t provide.
When it comes to testing language skills, it’s the same picture. AI can give an indication of knowledge, but it cannot reliably measure what students can do with the language and how well they can communicate.
The Introduction of the in-depth English test for PISA
The need for quality English skills in the age of AI is recognised worldwide. This is best proved by the fact that, for the first time, the PISA survey has added an assessment of foreign language skills – starting with English.
The PISA Foreign Language Assessment (FLA) is using in-depth high-quality tests, developed by Cambridge, to make sure that it gives a really accurate picture of each participant’s language skills. By this, we mean their ability to interact, understand nuance and apply their language skills to real-world situations.
This first PISA FLA is currently testing the English skills of thousands of students in 21 countries and economies around the world, providing unprecedented insights into what makes English language teaching and learning effective. Insights that are vital during this time of rapid change. Having a clear picture of what works in terms of language teaching in schools around the world, as a basis for improving future generations’ language skills, means we can measure change, learn and evolve.
Why communicative language skills matter
The benefits of learning communicative language skills are well documented. A recent paper by Cambridge and the OECD describes the benefits of learning another language in terms of the positive impact it can have on employability, critical thinking skills, and boosting cultural awareness – essential skills in today’s interconnected world.
The importance of quality English skills was highlighted further in a recent article in the Financial Times, where journalist Simon Kuper comments that fluency in English “has become a non-negotiable qualification for high-level jobs in many professions.” He references a paper for the OECD that studied job vacancies across the EU and in the UK in 2021: 22% explicitly required knowledge of English. This is meaningful – as generative AI makes it easier for people to have a “passable grasp” of English, excellence in a language becomes a true differentiator in business and elsewhere.
But of course, it’s not just about learning English. While English is an essential skill in so many areas, it’s equally important that people do not neglect their first language and that they take the time to learn other languages. Whether it’s a foreign language, the regional language of the place they live, the language of their parents or communities, or even the language of their favourite holiday destination, individuals can gain enormous benefits from learning more than one language.
The impact of the PISA FLA
We have a clear understanding of the benefits that English skills can bring. So, it is surprising that there has not been a comprehensive study in this area since 2011, when SurveyLang assessed the language competence of 50,000 pupils across 15 countries in Europe. The findings highlighted the importance of starting to learn English at an early age – and the benefits of exposure to language outside the classroom, through films, music, travel and other opportunities, to incorporate the language into the students’ lives. Whilst this is insightful, this was over 14 years ago, and we need contemporary and reliable data.
For this reason, the results of the PISA FLA will mark a turning point for language education. Although it’s too early to speculate on the findings, the impact of the survey’s data has the unprecedented potential to transform language policy around the world. Leaders and policymakers will get access to the data they need to make decisions on which teaching methods and learning environments really work, where to focus resources and how to design curriculums. One of the ways it will achieve this is by assessing against the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The PISA FLA also demonstrates how meaningful language testing can be delivered at scale. The English test used in PISA – and developed through a partnership between Cambridge and the OECD – is a cutting-edge, multi-level, computer-adaptive assessment, and tests the spoken production of language via a computer-delivered test for the first time in a global survey of this kind.
We are at an exciting moment of change. How we teach, how we learn, how we work and how we live is evolving every day. As providers of quality education, we have a responsibility to stay abreast of this change and ensure we are continually adding value – serving the current and very real needs of our learners.
When it comes to language education, that means understanding how we can shape learning, teaching and assessment that will empower generations of learners to come. It also means understanding how we can contribute to an educational system fuelled by insights and data. The PISA FLA is the first step on this journey.
Written by: Francesca Woodward, Global Managing Director, English at Cambridge University Press & Assessment
The post English skills are more essential than ever – the first PISA FLA proves it appeared first on The PIE News.