Shout louder
A woeful approach to language education continues
THE last time she was recruiting for her export-sales team, Sarah Grain hired a Lithuanian who speaks Russian, Polish and German. Her two previous hires for Eriez Magnetics, which makes industrial equipment in South Wales, were an Italian who also speaks French, and a Venezuelan who speaks Spanish and Portuguese. All of them speak fluent English. “There were no British applicants who had the requisite language skills,” she says.
Ms Grain’s conclusion is not unusual for a British company. In 2012 a European Commission survey tested the foreign-language proficiency of 54,000 students aged 14 and 15, in 14 nations. Sweden came top, with 82% of pupils reaching an “independent” or “advanced independent” standard. The average for all 14 states was 42%. England came bottom, with just 9%.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "Shout louder"
More from Britain
What police commissioners tell you about the British election
Neither Labour landslide nor hung Parliament
Antisemitism is on the rise in Britain
But university encampments show how hard it is to define
Spies, trade and tech: China’s relationship with Britain
China was once seen as a golden opportunity. It is increasingly viewed as a threat